The First Electronic Magazine Dedicated T o Managerial Skills

Issue 1 - August 2009 Price: $ 5.99

e m o t i onal

The
i intelligence
Hidden driver
To
Great
Performance Free
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A word from the editor

Welcome to THE MANAGER magazine; the MANAGER Magazine for your maximum ben-
first electronic magazine devoted to the devel- efit; we designed the magazine to fit any kind of
opment of Managerial Skills. managers apart from their field of work, and any
level of experience whether first time managers
Here at THE MANAGER Magazine we believe or executive level. We designed the articles to
that the keyword is change, whether it is the integrate each other and continue talking about
changing business environment we live in, the the important topics in various issues as long a
technology we use, or even the new business it takes to give you the whole picture from all
theories. Everything is changing, and standing still sides, as we believe we are not here to entertain
will cause you to be left behind or even worse, but we are here to develop and train.
out of business.
We believe that THE MANAGER Magazine will
We took the first step in order to help you to provide you with much more than the monetary
cope with the change around you; by providing value you are paying. We welcome any sug-
you with all the tools necessary to develop your gestions and comments from you our beloved
managerial skills, to be a better performer and reader.
even to become a better person, but remains the
most important step to be taken by you. it is the Editor in chief
will to change that has to come from inside, as Alaa Ayoub
you accept the journey of change, and commit
to it. So in pursuit of this goal we designed THE

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 Co n t e n ts :
4 Dealing with difficult
Employees:
The critical personality

8 Managing versus Leading

12 For first time managers:

The basic functions of
Management

22 Roadblocks in the way

to innovation

Cover story
27 Emotional Intelligence,
The hidden driver
to great performance

33 What it takes to be a
Leader: Courage

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 Dealing with difficult
Employees:
The critical personality
As a manger you have to deal with difficult people on
a daily basis, some of them under your supervision
like your employees and some are not like your colleagues
and even your boss.
Difficult people eat up your time, slow down work, and
erode productivity. But perhaps as important, they create
huge amounts of stress for you and other people in work-
place.
Mostly, they aren’t bad people. In fact, they are probably more
similar to you than you might imagine; they are people with
troubles in some areas in their lives (mostly in their up growing
and childhood) as we all are but the difficult ones are those with
problems that float on the surface frequently and more of-
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ten than others, their problems pop up with many people
and in many situations.
It’s easy to become a victim of difficult people, and even to
become difficult yourself as a result, but you can do some-
thing. You can keep your sanity and increase productivity
by managing difficult people so the damage they cause is
reduced.
And if you are lucky, you may even be able to turn their
negative behavior into constructive, useful behavior.
There are many types and forms of difficult people that will
be discussed in our coming issues, so let us look at one of
the most popular and most annoying personalities.
The critical personality
Definition: who
You definitely know this kind of people; they have imposed
themselves as a world observers and judges, they criticize
other people’s decisions and, are proud to pick mistakes in
 others actions and maybe personalities too, their tone of
voice conveys frustration because of unwise ambitions of
others.
They can easily destroy your best
idea and make it useless,
They think they have a great plan for
your life, all you have to do is to ask
or just listen and they will tell you all
about it.
You might think that things are alright
but the critics tend to find some-
thing wrong as they always look at
the empty half of the cup and see
things negatively. Also they tend to
be perfectionist, reckless, judgmen-
tal, arrogant, pretending to know it
all, like to be in control, and hunting for faults.
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The Reason: Why
The critics believe that their criticism is helpful and by ex-
posing others’ faults, they are helping them- even without
being asked to do so. What they do
not know is by doing so, usually the
opposite happens because people
naturally get defensive when faced
by critics. Accordingly true change
is not achieved by criticism but
rather achieved in an environment
of acceptance, love, and patience
from someone who truly cares.
Critics are moved by the desire to
fix problems; they see something
wrong and recklessly push their so-
lution that is painted by criticism more than true desire to
bring help to the picture.
 Most critics are brought up in an environment of criticism
where one of their parents or both of them did not approve
their actions and habits and met them with criticism all the
time. As a result they grew up the same way; criticizing ev-
erybody around them whether they notice that or not; they
practice it anyway and not helping to stop.
Whatever the motives behind that attitude, we have to
differentiate between two types of critics; one has a low
self-esteem and down to earth morale, who tends to bring
down and undermine everybody around him. This one is
like a poison in the organization.
The other one is really caring for others but has a poor way
of doing it, which is much better, and usually willing to go
into the process of change.
The Way: How
It is hard to deal with critics objectively, sometime we see
them as needles in a balloon factory, but at the same time
they could give a good suggestions. In order to deal with
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them, it is always easier to change our perceptions and way
of thinking rather than trying to change them( that could re-
quire therapy). So the following guidelines are applied to us:
Face the critics inside you
We all get critical sometimes, who did not??!! You could have
criticized an action that one of you friends, employees or
boss did!! Or as a father did criticize your son’s behavior!!!
So we can move forward in our relationship with critics only
when we understand the critics inside us.
Put yourself in his/her shoes
We can move one step forward by empathizing with the
critics and understanding how he became that way, if you
knew his story you would understand what drives him to
do what he does and that would let you accept him a little
more.
Do not shut your ears
Listen to what he says, as we have said, he may give you a
good tip. Rephrase what he says in your own word to make
sure you understand him.
 Limit your criticism Beware of triangular
Some criticism could be destructive so make sure you ac- critics
cept only those ones and which are politely phrased and Some critics do not reveal their
from those who really want your best interest and shut the opinions to you directly but in-
rest. stead they start complaining to
a third person, creating a trian-
Tame the beast inside gle and repeating the process
We all vulnerable in some areas inside us, when touched, until it turns to gossip. You can
the beast inside us wakes up and we get defensive and ag- discern them by seeing them talking about a third person
gressive. As a matter of fact,occasionally the critics are right who is not present. Those people make you feel like their
but we are touchy. best friend however beware, you are like everybody else,
and when you are not there they will criticize you as well.
Make a hearing session
Devote sometime if complaining and criticism are re- Keep your dreams alive
peated. Specify a time for the critics to hear them, and Do not allow poisonous critics to shatter your dreams away.
during this time only they are allowed to discuss their Protect and surround yourself with supportive and caring
points of view. Usually this routine works very well and people and keep your ambitions glowing.
critics accept this solution as they guarantee a specific
time to be heard. In that session, ask them to write down
all they want to say, then ask them to try to categorize
the points into groups, finally, no interruption is allowed,
everybody waits for his turn.

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 Managing
Versus
Leadi ng
A re you a leader or a manager?
Yes there is a difference and it is a big one. The whole big corporate world is full of
managers of all kinds, but lacks out leaders, as they are few. As the world boundaries are
disappearing and globalization and mass communication combine the individual econo-
mies of the countries into one big worldwide economy, it is now easier for competition
to enter the markets and offer variety of similar products that drive sales away from the
original producers and manufacturers. For these reasons and more, the need for leaders
is growing; leaders who can motivate employees to achieve superior economic perfor-
mance and make the appropriate and tough decisions at the right time, those who are not
reluctant at taking risks and in constant search for opportunities, and those who have an-

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 swers for critical and difficult questions
that we face each and every day.
Great leaders are born
like that, it is in their
genes!!!
This is one of the biggest myth of lead-
ership and used by people to avoid
the effort and hardiness of chang-
ing oneself into a leader. Yes some
people can become leaders easier
than some others; maybe they are
not afraid of change, or maybe they
have many of the qualities of a leader
(will be discussed it the following ar-
ticle) inherited in their personality. Yes
this maybe true but anyone by hon-
est hard work, practice, willing to
change and dedication can become
a great leader no matter how far
he is right now from being a leader.
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So what is Leadership ? But in organizational context, leader-
ship could be defined as getting peo-
There is not one single definition of ple to commit and provide their best
leadership. Understanding this con- towards the organization’s goals.
cept is the first step towards be-
coming an effective leader. Some Not one of the preceding definitions
common definitions or beliefs about is more correct than any of the oth-
leadership include the following: ers. All of the definitions, however,
agree on one common fact: leader-
- One of them, as mentioned by John ship involves more than one person.
C. Maxwell, the leadership guru, “lead-
ership is influence” which matches the
term “lead”, To lead, means that you
have to have some followers; to make
them follow you, you have to influ-
ence them.
- Another definition is getting people
to do things, which they have never
thought they can ever do. In that defi-
nition come the terms enablement,
and empowerment.
 The difference between leaders and managers:
Leaders
• Strive for change.
• Worry about what is not done yet.
• Inspire people to work hard and
improve performance.
• Take risk.
• Use fewer explicit tools and a lot of
creativity and lateral thinking.
• Frequently display motivation, enthusi-
asm, passion, and vision to accomplish
high level of performance.
• Question whether it is the right task.
• Are adventurous, they go where no-
body has gone before.
• Speak their mind and try to convince
others to adopt their point of view.
• Listen to people’s opinions and then
they form their own opinion.
• Inspire achievement.
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Managers
• Maintain balance & equilibrium.
• Take pride in what is done.
• Make sure that people are adequately
paid for their effort.
• Minimize risk.
• Use explicit set of tools and tech-
niques that are based on reasoning,
scientific testing and problem solving
techniques.
• Show less emotions and more conser-
vative approach to achieve targets
that are already set for them.
• Concentrate on the way things done to
achieve a task.
• Make a plan and stick to it.
• Keep their point of view to themselves.
• Form their own opinion then listen to
others.
• Coordinate efforts.
 Roles of the leader
Leaders and relationships:
Model the Way
As opposed to managers; relations with others play a signifi- 1. Clarify values by detailed explanation, building upon inputs
cant role in influencing and hence leading people. from others and affirming shared ideals.
A leader considers his team members or congregation as part- 2. Align actions with shared values.
ners with him in pursuit of organizational goals and superior Inspire a Shared Vision
performance. Accordingly, he listens to their views with great 3. Explore the future by generating exciting possibilities and
respect and allows for disagreement to take place some- hunting for opportunities.
times. Although, he provides visions and directions, he shares 4. Generate buy-ins into vision by combining shared aspirations
responsibility with others and creates a sense of belonging to fit into one common goal.
and significance in people around him; they feel valuable, im- Challenge and change
portant and productive as individuals and as a team. 5. Take initiative by looking outward for innovative ways to im-
prove.
Leaders are good, managers are bad!! 6. Experiment and take risks by trial and error and shared learn-
Although, leaders are important and provide the backbone of ing of failure and mistakes
survival in a world of constant change, an organization can Empower Others
not exist without managers who plan, organize, direct and 7. Promote group efforts and teamwork by building trust, facili-
control. A leader that can motivate people and inspire vision tating relationships and open honest communications
and performance, but does not have managerial skills, is like 8. Strengthen others by developing self-esteem,self-determina-
building a skyscraper without building stairs and elevators. tion, discipline and competence.
Managers are good, but leaders who can manage are much Encourage the Heart
better. 9. Recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individu-
al excellence.
10. Celebrate the values and accomplishments by creating a
spirit of unity.

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 For First Time Managers

The Basic Functions Of

M anagement
“OK, I am the Boss, what am I suppose to do now ??!!”
A preview on basic roles of management for first
time managers

B eing promoted on the foundation

of know-how, proficiency, or in-
telligence is very useful to the busi-
ness but not sufficient. You hardened
to do your job splendidly but after
being a boss; your job is to make
people do their jobs superbly and it
is not a straightforward assignment to
do. Being in charge of an entire sec-
tor including related tasks and perfor-
ble to every manager whether a CEO
or a first line manger, those roles are:
planning, organizing, staffing, leading,
mance could turn to a burden with- and controlling.
out the right tools.
So let’s begin by the basic five roles of
management, those roles are the bi-

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 Mission Statement
A mission statement is an organization’s vision translated into
Role one - Planning written form. It shows the leader’s view of the direction and
purpose of the organization. It portrays why your organization
The basic planning con- exists, what business it is in, and who it serves.
Running an organization is like taking a trip with your car; to cept answers four ques- For many corporate leaders it is a vital element in any attempt
to motivate employees and to give them a sense of priorities.
get where you want to go, you’ve got to have a plan (a map) tions: A mission statement should be a short and concise statement
that tells you where your 1- What do we want to of goals and priorities
Vision statement destination is, and how do?
Corporate vision is a short, brief, and inspiring statement of
what the organization intends to develop into and achieve at you can get there. It’s the 2- Where are we in relation to that goal?
some point in the future, often stated in competitive terms.
job of every manager to 3- Which factors will help or hinder us from reaching the
Vision refers to the category of intentions that are broad, all-
embracing and forward thinking. It is the reflection that a busi- develop the plans which goal?
ness must have of its goals before it sets out to reach them.
accomplish the organiza- 4- What alternatives are available to us to reach the goal
It describes aspirations for the future, without indicating the
ways that will be used to achieve those desired ends. tion’s goals in pursuit: the and which one is the best?
Vision should be a grand, and noble vision, which elevates the
energy, enthusiasm and self-esteem of everyone in the com- products and services it
pany while ensuring that everybody visualize a benefit in the will provide, how it will Planning achieves these ends by:
vision. The most valuable visions are those that inspire employ-
ees and ask for their best. manufacture and deliver Goals and objectives
1- Strength of mind
Examples: them, to whom, and at The major outcome of strategic planning, after gathering all of what resources
- At General Electric (GE) the corporate vision is ‘We bring good necessary information, is the setting goals for the organization
things to life’. what price. These plans based on its vision and mission statement. A goal is a long-
will be required.
- The Ford Motor Company vision is ‘to become the world’s include creating an orga- range aim for a specific period. It must be specific and realistic. 2- Recognition of
leading consumer company for automotive products and ser- Long-range goals set through strategic planning are translated
vices’. nizational vision and mis- into activities that will ensure reaching the goal through opera- the number and
sion in addition to specific tional planning. types of personnel
Tips: Goals are specific objectives that relate to specific time peri-
-Communicate it constantly. tactics for achieving the ods and are stated in terms of facts. The primary goal of any (technical, supervi-
-Keep relating the events of today to your vision, underscoring organization’s goals. business is to increase stakeholders’ value. The most important sory, or managerial)
the relationship between the two. stakeholders are those who own the business, employees who
work for the business and, clients or customers who purchase the organization
products and/or services from the business. will necessitate.

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 3- Determination of standards against which the move-
ment toward objectives can be measured, so that adjust-
ments can take place if compulsory.
Planning can be classified, on the basis of scope or breadth,
into three separate categories:
Strategic planning: is concerned with
the overall actions of the entire organi-
zation. It is initiated and guided by top-
level management, but all levels of man-
agement must participate in it to work.
The purposes of strategic planning are:
1- To have the entire organization plan
long-range paths and dedications.
2- To endow with multilevel contribu-
tion in the planning progression.
3- To develop an organization in which
the plans of the sub-units are melodi-
ous with each other.
Tactical planning: focuses on accomplishment of activi-
ties specified by the strategic plans. These plans are con-
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cerned with what the subordinate level units within each
division required to do, how they should do it, and who
will be in charge of doing it. Tactics is the channel needed
to achieve a strategy. This step tends to be shorter-term
than strategic planning, and focus-
es more on current and approach-
ing activities required to execute
overall strategies.
Operational Planning: An oper-
ating plan is one that a manager
applies to accomplish his or her job
tasks. It may be either a single-use
plan or an on-going plan. Single-
use plans are applied to activities
that do not recur or repeat. Exam-
ples of single-use plans include a
program and a budget. Examples
of on-going plans include policies
and procedures.
 Role two - Organizing

Subsequent to developing their plans, managers have to

put up a business that can situate these plans into end
product/service. Normally, they do this by designing orga-
nizational structures to execute their plans (often building
detailed organizational charts that divide an organization
into divisions, departments, and other parts and designate
the people who occupy each position), and by develop-
ing systems and processes to direct the allocation of hu-
man, financial, and other resources. The end result of the organizing process is an organiza-
There are four distinctive activities of the organizing func- tion -- a whole, consisting of unified parts (a system) act-
tion: ing in harmony to execute tasks in order to achieve goals,
1-To determine what tasks should be done to accomplish both effectively and efficiently.
organizational objectives.
2- To classify the type of work needed and ensure work- In addition, it should also provide the following benefits:
ing of groups into manageable units.
3- To assign the work to individuals and delegate the ap- 1- A Clarified Work Environment.
propriate authority. Everyone should know what to do. The tasks and respon-
4- To design a hierarchy of decision-making relationships. sibilities of all individuals, departments, and major organi-
zation divisions should have been clarified, and, the type
and limits of authority will have been determined.

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 2- A Coordinated Environment.
Confusion should be minimized and hindrances to perfor-
mance are removed. The interrelationship of the various
work divisions will have been developed. Guiding principle
for interaction among personnel will have been defined.
3- A Formal Decision-Making Structure.
Through the organization chart, the formal superior-subor-
dinate relationships have been developed. This allows the
systematic succession up through the chain of command
for decision making and decision-making communications.
Role Three - Staffing
People are the most essential of all your organization’s re-
sources. Those human resources are acquired by and for
the organization through the staffing role of management.
In staffing, the organization attempts to recognize, attract,
and maintain skilled personnel to occupy its available posi-
tion
The staffing role can be observed as an eight-step course
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of action intended to endow the organization with the
right people in the right positions.
The Eight-Steps Staffing Process
1 Human Resource Planning
The purpose of human resource planning is to make cer-
tain that the personnel requirements of the organization
will be assembled. This is done in part by analyzing the
plans of the organization to determine what skills will be
needed in the future. There are three elements to the hu-
man resource planning process:
(A) Forecasting the personnel requirements.
(B) Comparing the requirements to the actual staff within
the organization.
(C) Developing precise plans for how many people to re-
cruit (from outside) or whom to train (from inside).
2 Recruitment
In this step, management will attempt to identify and at-
tract candidates to convene the requirements of antici-
pated or actual vacancies. Two devices used during this
phase are the job description and the job requirements,
 both of which are developed as a result of job analysis.
The actual recruitment of prospective employees is usually
done through newspaper and professional journal adver-
tisements, employment agencies, and other internal (and/
or external) sources of the organization. More recently,
job posting and recruitment is being handled via the Inter-
net, as well, on job posting websites.
3 Selection
Following recruitment, those candidates who have ap-
plied for the position(s) published must be evaluated and
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one of them is chosen, whose qualifications match job
requirements. The steps in the selection process may in-
clude completing an application form, interviews, refer-
ence checks, and physical examination.
4 Introduction and Orientation
Once selected, the new employee must be incorporated
into the organization through introduction of the new em-
ployee to the work group and acquainting him with the
organization’s policies and rules.
5 Training and Development
Through training and development, the organization at-
tempts to improve the employee’s capabilities to add to
the organization’s effectiveness. Training is concerned
with enhancement of the employee’s skills. Development
concerns the preparation of the employee for additional
responsibility and advancement.
6 Performance Appraisal
A system intended to evaluate the actual job performance
of an employee compared to performance standards.
 7 Employment Decisions Simply stated, leadership is the process of impacting and
Employment decisions in the areas of monetary rewards, directing people towards the accomplishment of a goal
transfers, promotions, and demotions will be based on the or objective.
outcome of the performance appraisal.

8 Separations
Voluntary turnover, retirements, layoffs, and terminations
must also be a concern of management.

Role four - Leading

Managers are expected to lead their employees, that is, to

inspire them to attain the organization’s goals, rapidly and
competently.

Leadership is considered by many the most vital com- The major concern for the manager here should be to
ponent of a manager’s success. Great leaders can make recognize and acquire as many traits of effective leader-
great things happen, motivating their employees to do ex- ship as possible, and learn to identify the different styles
traordinary tasks and achieve extraordinary goals. and how and when to apply them (situational leadership).

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 Leadership Traits: Commitment: Devotion to job, career, and family.

There are various traits that have been identified by clinical Good judgment: Common sense, diplomacy, prudence,
and organizational psychologist to be characteristic of ef- distinguish what is important and what is not.
fective leadership. Some of the most important are listed
below and briefly defined: Energy: Eagerness, passion, aspiration to take the initiative.

Sense of mission: trust in one’s ability to lead and love for Decisiveness: Confidence in making appropriate decisions;
the work of leadership itself. a willingness to act.

Integrity: Commitment to the highest personal and profes- Selflessness: Sacrificing self (personal needs) for a greater
sional standards. cause.

High character: Ability to face hard facts and unpleasant
situations with courage.
Loyalty: Faithfulness to superiors, peers, subordinates, fam-
ily and organizations.
While this list is by no means all-inclusive, it represents some
of the more outstanding traits or characteristics of a high-
quality leader
Some Functions Of The Leader:

Job competence: The foundation for follower ship, expert • Set the example for others to follow.
power, and mentoring. • Determine goals of organization.
• Functions as the resident expert.

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 • Facilitates open communication.
• Provides counseling and guidance. 1 Establish Performance Standards
A standard is a measuring device, quantitative or qualita-
• Enforces policies and regulations.
tive, that is intended to assist monitoring the performance
• Motivates employees toward goals
of people, capital goods, or processes. Standards are used
• Establishes performance standards.
to determine progress, or lack of progress, towards goals.
The precise nature of the stan-
dards to be used relies on what
Role five - Controlling is being monitored. Whatever the
standards, however, they all can be
To achieve their goals and the targets of the organization,
allocated to one of two groups:
managers must set up performance standards based on
managerial standards or technical
the organization’s goals and objectives, measure and re-
standards. Following is a descrip-
port actual performance, compare the two, and take cor-
tion of each type.
rective or precautionary action if required.
A.Managerial Standards -
The Four-Steps Controlling Process incorporate such things as reports,
regulations, and performance
The controlling function is strongly related to planning. In-
evaluations. All should focus on
deed, the fundamental principle of controlling is to con-
only the key areas and the kind
clude how successful the planning function has been. This
of performance required to reach
process can be summarized to four basic steps relevant
specific goals. Managerial standards state who, when, and
to any individual, item, or process being controlled. The
why of the business.
four basic steps are:

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 B.Technical Standards - state the what and how of the
business. They apply to production methods and process-
es, materials, machinery, safety equipment, parts, and sup-
pliers. Technical standards can come from internal and
external sources.
2 Monitor Actual Performance
This step is incorporated purely as a preventive measure.
3 Measure Performance
In this step, managers evaluate performance and deter-
mine its adherence to the set standards. If the comparison
yields results, or measurements are acceptable - within
the prescribed limits - no action needs to be taken. If the
results show deviation from the acceptable, or prove the
unacceptable, action may be called for.
4 Correct Deviations from Standards
Determining the precise action to be taken will depend
on three things: the standard; the accuracy of measure-
ments that perceive deviations; and the diagnosis of the
person or device investigating the cause for the deviation.
Keep in mind that standards can be too loose or too strict.
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Measurements may be inaccurate because of poor use of
measuring devices or defects in the devices themselves.
And, finally, people can use poor judgment in determining
the corrective actions to be taken.
While these typical functions are still valid, they do not tell
the entire story. Managers and workers are entering into a
new kind of affiliation that is structuring the base of a new
reality in the workplace.
At present, managers are realizing that they are unable to
command an employee’s best work; they can, however,
create an atmosphere that supports employees to give
their best efforts. And employees are realizing that, if they
expect to survive the invariable effects of change sweep-
ing across businesses of all types, they have to discover
ways to contribute to their organizations in ways that they
have never before been called on to do.
 “Today we are gathered to cel-
ebrate the launch of our new line
of production, and the one without
Roadblocks
his brilliant idea; non would hap-
pen, cheers for (put your name)”
B eing creative makes all the
difference; after all, what
matters the most, are ideas. The
idea of having your own busi-
ness, the idea of introducing
that special product, the idea of this
brand, the idea of marketing that way,
the idea of this invention, and so on .
One idea could save your com-
pany from going out of busi-
ness; one idea could position your
company into a market leader.
And as a creative person that could
make all the preceding happen; you are
of an enormous value to your company,
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your opinions are heard very
carefully, you are better in-
formed about what is hap-
In pening in your company,
and you get big bonuses!!!
The way Who would refuse such a
deal!!!
to
innovation Being creative does not happen
by accident, there are many
roadblocks and barriers to cre-
ativity due to our behaviors and
8
our mode of thinking that we brought
Psychological up using them, like always knowing the
right answers, depending on our previ-
barriers to ous experiences, and trying harder us-
innovation ing the same methods to solve differ-
and how to ent problems.
step over them So let us have a look at the psycho-
logical barriers you might find in your
way to innovation.
1 Not asking questions Third: use open ended and impulsive questions, you do not
have to answer every one of them, but it might lead you
Accepting things as they are and taking things for granted to another direction while trying to answer it.
is a killer.

First: Question everything; rules, 2 Having a rigid point of view

procedures, actions, patterns, plans,
Being inflexible in your thinking narrows your vision and
processes and assumptions. Begin
lets you see only half of the facts. Use others’ perspectives
your question with the magical
and try to put yourself in their shoes, people like your em-
WHY; then question the answer
ployees, clients, vendors, distributors, suppliers and even
with another why and another and
competition see things differently and these different views
another. Surprisingly you will think about things you have
can help expand you possibilities.
never thought about before and will go to territories you

3 Depending on your memory

have not visited before. New directions and alternatives
will keep coming as you keep wondering.

Second: use your imagination in “WHAT IF” scenarios.
Look at your issue or problem from different angels and
use what if for every angel and build upon parts from dif-
ferent scenarios. You might be surprised to find a whole
new one that can help you.
The human mind is on duty all the time and you might be
surprised if you counted the ideas that went through your
mind in only one minute. Many good ideas come and go
unnoticed and forgotten, because we do not take the
time to express them; write them down and give them
some thought.

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 Record all the ideas; the good and the bad, the more ideas
you have, the better opportunities you get and what is not
good or valid now , can be good and applicable some
time in the future. Ideas are like chain reaction, one leads
to another and a bad one leads to a good one, then the
spark happens and a new product is born or a solution is
found.
So do not lose your ideas; write
them down in a notebook or a
log or even record then in au-
dio and when you need some
creativity, review them first, give
them a second thought, notice
the change in assumptions and circumstances since then,
who knows you might get lucky and save a lot of time.
4 I have always done it this way
Being accustomed to specific way of thinking or doing
things, relying on past experiences and successes may
prevent you from being creative, so look for new ways. If
you usually write pros and cons, try not to do it, -think dif-
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ferently- you may try to visualize the problem or the issue
at hand by drawing a chart or diagram and analyze the
steps involved, or try to visualize the problem into a picture
or drawings and question the similarities between them.
For example, if you visualize your problem like a broken
car and want to examine it, you can ask these questions:
What is wrong with this car??!!
Why it is not working??
Start by analyzing the cause of the problem:
Is it accident?? Is my driving style the reason?? Do I miss
the warning signs on my way?? (These questions concern
my way of doing things).
Second, analyze the problem itself:
Is it the engine?? (This could represent the main strategy
or top management), or is it the fuel??(Could represent the
power that keeps the company running like motivation, in-
centives, passion, lack of alignment between actions and
mission …..and so on), is the engine so hot and cooling
fluid is not working (could mean hat the company is going
so fast and employees can not catch their breath).
 Third, after you understand what caused the problem and
what is the consequences of it, analyze the alternative so-
lutions and choose the best one:
Can I fix it or should I go to mechanics?? (Do I need a pro-
fessional expert or trainer to fix the problem?)
This is a small example of doing logical thinking in an in-
novative way that brings into picture many variables that
were not considered.
Visualization is also useful in generating ideas, putting things
another way brings in more alternatives.
6 Being logical
5 Fear of looking stupid
Self image and how people look at us plays an important
role in our behavior, and sometimes
fear of generating ideas that may
not get a good reaction, disapprov-
al or even mocking from others,
the fear of being judged, of looking
stupid, and of being wrong, hold us
back from participating in the pro-
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cess. Fear is paralyzing and when you allow your personal
fears to control your actions, fear will control you more,
and will be nurtured by your unwillingness to face them or
even to name them.
Begin with admitting the fact that you have personal fears
and name them, then list all the actions that you would
take if you did not have those fears.
Last: make an action plan to do all these actions, stick to
it and bring someone you trust to be accountable to in
implementing your plan.
Sometimes having a logical, rational and easy to imple-
ment idea is not the best idea; yes it works but there is no
spark; people do not get excited when they hear it.
Be patient to figure out how to make the sparkling ideas
doable. Use a lot of ‘what-if’ scenarios without dismissing
anything as impossible.
Hold on to those ideas that spark a reaction, even if it’s not
immediately clear how they can be put into practice.
7 It is important, work harder and When you start being creative, you should know the fol-
lowing:
be serious - Generating ideas takes time and lots of them may end up
undoable. So, do not give up too soon and say that you
Working on a problem or an issue too long and for intense
are not that kind of a person; practice a lot and take your
time burns creativity. Being more serious, stressing yourself
time in warm up, make it a habit to do it daily.
and everybody around you or spending more time to fo-
cus will not take you anywhere.
- While proposing ideas, you maybe faced by frictions and
Take a break after working for few hours, take a walk,
oppositions, do not be dismayed or discouraged, use it as
look at a nice view for a while,
a motive to push forward and build upon your ideas to
change the place where you do
make them better.
your work , listen to your favorite
music, do some stretching, or do
something light and playful; the
idea is to shut down for a while,
do something favorable and en-
ergize your body and mind.

8 Giving up so soon and too easy

There is no person that is “not creative”, but there are peo-
ple who would engage themselves in creative thinking and
people who would not.

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 e m o t i onal
“Old rules are out; new rules

i
are in place now”
Yes, this is right. The way we

intelligence
have done business through the
years has been changed, and
we have moved from industri-
al to information age, and now
we are moving to new age; the
The knowledge age and who have
the knowledge??? People
Hidden driver
To People now are becoming the
most valuable asset in any cor-
Great poration. Managing people is no
longer about orders and pay-
Performance roll, but people management
is becoming a science that we
discuss its major branches in
many parts of this magazine.

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 Organizations, now, are flatter than before, where team- Self-management skills:
work and collaborative efforts are maintained by relation-
ships and social skills. In response to the rapid continuing 1 Self-awareness
change of doing business, people are expected to cope
with these changes, be more flexible and adaptive, while It means being in touch with yourself; knowing your
in reality humans resist change and do not welcome going strengths, weaknesses, hopes, fears, needs and drives.
out of their comfort zone and dealing with the unknown. Also self-aware people are characterized by the follow-
So as a leader you should be able to create an environ- ing:
ment that encourages creativity and promotes security • Being realistic and honest with themselves and others.
and productivity. You should be able to change your lead- • Have personal insight of their emotions and moods,
ership style according to differing factors and circum-
stances, which includes dealing with people’s emotions
not only their intellect. You should be able to practice
emotional intelligence, which is referred to by EQ (Emo-
tional Quotient).

What is emotional intelligence?

There are two components of Emotional Intelligence; one
is concerned with self-management skills and the other
with relationship management

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 and why they feel or act that way; also they know the 2 self-control
impact of their emotions on themselves, others, and
the work performance. As they know their limits and Self-awareness is the first step towards Emotional intel-
weaknesses, they tend to take precautions in order to ligence but it is not enough to understand yourself and
avoid undesired effects or consequences. your emotional reaction as you should exercise self-con-
• Create an environment of openness and feedback trol.
• Have a personal vision, they know their goals and val- Self-regulated people are characterized by the following:
ues; they know where they are coming from, where • Willing to change their emotional behavior.
they are going and why. • Patients.
• Speak and express their emotions without fear and • Committed to the process of change and do not de-
with high degree of precision. spair or get discouraged easily.
• Take responsibility for their actions. • Thinking before
• Are self-confident because they know their capabilities they act and not
and limits, they know exactly what they are capable of. normally the op-
• Display humility by apologizing, admitting they were posite; because
wrong, and not afraid of saying I do not know. emotions are
much faster than
(Do not confuse this with cowardness or wimpiness, be- the mind espe-
cause self-aware people who can assess themselves and cially in response
others are the best people to assess a project, a product to others.
or deadline compatibility).

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 • Frequently evaluating their emotional behavior and re-
sponses by stepping out of the picture and viewing
the scene as in a movie, to find what went wrong and
where they got out of control.
• Do not display “unconstructive mood matching” by
copying some body else’s emotional state, e.g. When
someone is shouting you start shouting yourself.
• Create an environment of fairness and trust, which pro-
motes productivity, innovation and attract talents.
• Adaptable and flexible to embrace change that has be-
come the only constant in business environment.
• Slow to judge and give much attention to the big pic-
ture, therefore people who have mastered their feeling
are wise.
3 self-motivation
Self- motivation is a unique kind of motivation that is not
affected or stimulated by external factors like salary, bo-
nus, position, power or anything else, but its source comes
from within. Self-motivated people expectations are high-
higher than anybody else and they pursue their goals for
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the sake of achievement itself.
This kind of motivation is generated by sense of mission
and calling; they know what they are called to do and
when put in their right place, they perform extra ordinarily
well; that is why they do not need external factor or en-
hancers to motivate them.
Self-motivated people are characterized by the following:
• Have passion for the work itself.
• Love to learn and acquire new skills.
• Seek new experiences and challenges to stretch them-
selves.
• Come out with creative solutions.
• Strive for quality and doing things better; they monitor
performance and raise standards to achieve the best
performance for them and the people around.
• Committed to their work and their organizations.
• In constant search for new and improved approaches
to their work.
• Optimistic; because of endless energy they have, they
are optimistic even when things around them are not
conveying favorable circumstances.
 Relationship Management:
4 Empathy
Interpersonal skills are all about understanding others; their
feelings, interests, fears, motives, needs and preferences;
the key to this awareness of others is Empathy.
There are many definitions for empathy, but all of them
share the concept of identifying with and understanding
others feelings, thoughts and motives. It is like putting your-
self in others’ shoes. In a business context, it means being
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considerate to others’ feelings in your managing behavior.
Empathy is the essence of social competencies; it may
not be agreeing with everyone or seeking approval, but
showing understanding to their feelings and needs in the
process of management.
Empathetic people are characterized by the following:
• Can read people very well, they notice the tone of voice,
facial expressions, and other non-verbal ways of com-
munications.
• Ask questions that give people the freedom to express
their point of views.
• Welcome suggestions.
• Listen to what people has to say and paraphrase to make
sure they understand what is being said.
• Place the right people in the right positions because of
their deep knowledge of others.
• Gain trust and build bridges with others without much
effort.
• Get honest and direct feedback; for nobody fears the
boss.
• Get appreciated by others for being considerate to them.
 5 Social skills
Social skills are not about friendliness, but they are the skills
that enable you to move people in the direction you desire;
it is the use of personal power to win the hearts of others
and generate buy-ins to achieve a common goal.
Socially skilled people tend to find common ground with b o ve
d a l-
e t e
everybody around n n
ntio onal i ate.
m e ti l
them; they bond e l f :
o i n t s e m o t o o
e to
with others be- o u rs
h e p
h a ve
s not lleng the
s t y
c k t
y o u
, i t i c ha
u in
e e f t g
cause they know T ch out i if no xt bi lp yo i t.
Now find l s, ne ill he velop
that nobody can k i l
and ce s e yo we w to d
u r e
accomplish big n b
lige will I, and n how
s o
things alone. Thi elop E ues
s
dev ing is
com
So at the end we
are not saying that
intelligence and
technical abilities are not important; but they are not enough
if your goal is to achieve excellence, retain talent and build
a world class organization.

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 What it takes to be a LEADER

H ave you ever missed an opportunity

courage
because it looked strange or different??
Somebody else took the risk and it became
his big shot, more and more came out of
it.
Now you are pissed because it was right
Yesterday I dared to struggle. in your hands and you just let it go.
One little step made all the difference.
Today I dare to win.
Most probably it was fear that prevented
Bernadette Devlin you from going forward. Fear of the
unknown, fear of failure, or fear of loosing
what you have.

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 Living in fear is like living as prisoners of our weaknesses, as we
surrender to our weaknesses, we start building imaginary walls
around us that limit our potentials and capabilities, lowering our
quality of life and maybe keeping us from living life itself. Fear is
a damaging trait which causes insecure behavior to take place.
It shows in many patterns like inflexibility, de-
fensiveness, or negativity and goes all the way
to extreme behaviors such as paranoia that
causes very dysfunctional and paralyzing be-
havior.
Leaders must be courageous. He or she is al-
ways moving in new directions, and those first
steps take courage: the courage to be first,
the courage to be different, the courage to
speak out, the courage to act, and the cour-
age to fail. In doing so successful managers
stretch, and bend their minds, push their abili-
ties beyond what they can imagine they can go.
Without courage, no significant progress, innovation or contribu-
tion is made.
Leaders can’t avoid stress, fear, pain, and pressure. The pain of
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realizing you’re not in control, admitting you were wrong, letting
go of a long, and dearly, held belief. Or the fear and stress of hav-
ing to make a decision without having as much information as
you would like to have. Courage is not the absence of fear but
acknowledging that you are afraid, labeling it for what it is, and
instead of going back and running away, you
push through to the end.
Creating environment
that promotes
courage
To create such an environment, you should do
the following:
• Allow failure and consider it as a learn-
ing tool not punishing reason.
• Construct a shared learning meetings
where learning is extracted from failures,
and shared across the organization.
• Promote thinking and innovation.
• Accept suggestions and different points of view.
• Ask for feedback and listen to what people has to say.
• Allow others, sometimes, to do thing their way when in
 disagreement, if you trust them. • What is its impact on my relationships at work? (For ev-
• Make evaluation of new ideas a must, and an ongoing ery one at a time).
part of the business, not a luxury when time is available. • How does it affect my work, family and health? (For ev-
• Encourage Knowledge transfer from powered people ery one at a time).
to others, and rewarding these people for sharing. • What was the last risk you made? And how it ended up?
• Do not embarrass people in public for their unaccept- • What benefits you could have enjoyed if you did not
able ideas, faults or failures. have this fear? (For everyone at a time).
• Concentrate on these benefits and imagine yourself en-
Steps to joying them. (Take a lot of time).
develop • Make a decision to fight your fears, start by picking up
courage one and state the action you will take to change this
behavior. Usually embracing danger/fear long enough
So now it is clear why cour- and getting used to it, makes it less dangerous/fearful
age is important for leaders, than before.
and for companies they run, • Give yourself a specific time to measure your progress,
let us see how you can de- and once gone, take the second on the list.
velop courage: • Make yourself accountable to someone who cares
about you to help you measure your progress and en-
• Make a list of all the fears you face at work. courage you.
• Why do you fear these things?? (Get to the roots of it,
ask many “whys”).
• How this fear shows up in your behavior? (For every
one at a time).

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