new work habits for a radically changing world

New Work Habits New Work Habits for A Radically for A Radically

Changing WorldChanging World

Source:Excerpt from Price Pritchett New Work Habits for A radically changing world

Florance SinniahFlorance SinniahFlorance SinniahFlorance Sinniah

ObjectivesObjectives

• To provide a different perspective of how aggressive the information age and environmental impact has on how we operate and think daily

• Sharing of 13 ground rules for Job Success in the Information Age

Current environmentCurrent environment• World economy continue to be uncertainWorld economy continue to be uncertain

– Workforce reduction, spending control, pay Workforce reduction, spending control, pay cut..cut..

– Downsize to keep the business goingDownsize to keep the business going

– Merger & Acquisition become normMerger & Acquisition become norm

• Intense profit margin pressureIntense profit margin pressure

• Competition everywhereCompetition everywhere

• GlobalizationGlobalization

• Emerging Market Growth – China, India, Emerging Market Growth – China, India, Russia, VietnamRussia, Vietnam

Already an estimated 2/3 of US employees work in the

services sector, and “knowledge” is becoming our

most important “product”

Already an estimated 2/3 of US employees work in the

services sector, and “knowledge” is becoming our

most important “product”

By year 2010, no developed country will have more than 1/6 or

1/8 of its workforce in the traditional roles of making and

moving goods

By year 2010, no developed country will have more than 1/6 or

1/8 of its workforce in the traditional roles of making and

moving goods

Careers come and go. Jobs change. This is noting new – it’s just happening far faster

than ever before.

Careers come and go. Jobs change. This is noting new – it’s just happening far faster

than ever before.

Report indicate that 1.5million Web pages are added each day, and that the number of Websites is doubling every 8 months

Report indicate that 1.5million Web pages are added each day, and that the number of Websites is doubling every 8 months

The world has changedThe world has changed

Every year more and more people will be self employed

Every year more and more people will be self employed

There has been more information produced in the last 10 years than during the previous 5000

There has been more information produced in the last 10 years than during the previous 5000

• More & more service and knowledge based workMore & more service and knowledge based work

• New technologies (computers & communication) New technologies (computers & communication) created intense worldwide competitioncreated intense worldwide competition

• Career had already quit working like they used toCareer had already quit working like they used to

• Does no good to complain about what’s happeningDoes no good to complain about what’s happening

• The world doesn't care about our opinions and The world doesn't care about our opinions and feelingfeeling

Shifting of the way organizations operateShifting of the way organizations operate

The world rewards only to those who can catch The world rewards only to those who can catch on to what’s happening & seize the opportunity on to what’s happening & seize the opportunity

brought about by the changebrought about by the change

The world rewards only to those who can catch The world rewards only to those who can catch on to what’s happening & seize the opportunity on to what’s happening & seize the opportunity

brought about by the changebrought about by the change

Changes always comes bearing gifts…

Many priceless opportunities for Many priceless opportunities for those who play by the new rules, those who play by the new rules, position ourselves right and take position ourselves right and take personal responsibilities for our personal responsibilities for our futurefuture

Many priceless opportunities for Many priceless opportunities for those who play by the new rules, those who play by the new rules, position ourselves right and take position ourselves right and take personal responsibilities for our personal responsibilities for our futurefuture

Meet the challenge

Follow below Follow below 1313 ground rules for ground rules for

managing your job managing your job during radical changeduring radical change

13 ground rules for managing your job 13 ground rules for managing your job during radical changeduring radical change

• Become a quick-change artist• Become a quick-change artist • Commit fully to your job• Commit fully to your job

• Speed Up• Speed Up• Accept ambiguity and uncertainty• Accept ambiguity and uncertainty

• Behave like you’re in business for yourself• Behave like you’re in business for yourself • Stay in school• Stay in school

• Hold yourself accountable for outcomes• Hold yourself accountable for outcomes

• Add value• Add value• See yourself as a service center• See yourself as a service center

• Manage your own morale• Manage your own morale • Practice Kaizen• Practice Kaizen

• Be a fixer, not a finger pointer• Be a fixer, not a finger pointer• Alter your expectation• Alter your expectation

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• Resist to change will be dead-end streetResist to change will be dead-end street• Career opportunities come when you align Career opportunities come when you align

immediatelyimmediately• Organizations want people who adapt Organizations want people who adapt fastfast not not

those who resistthose who resist• Be quick change artist can build your Be quick change artist can build your

reputationreputation• Take personal responsibility for adapting to Take personal responsibility for adapting to

changechange

GR# 1: Become a quick change artistGR# 1: Become a quick change artist

You think you understand the

situation, but what you don’t

understand is the situation had just

changed- Putnam Investments advertisement- Putnam Investments advertisement- Putnam Investments advertisement- Putnam Investments advertisement

The factsThe factsThe factsThe facts

What it means to YouWhat it means to YouWhat it means to YouWhat it means to You

• Your organization will keep reshaping , Your organization will keep reshaping , shifting and flexing to fit the rapidly shifting and flexing to fit the rapidly changing worldchanging world

• Duties will be constantly realignedDuties will be constantly realigned• Short lived assignments will be commonShort lived assignments will be common• May work for more than on “employer” at May work for more than on “employer” at

a timea time









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• Career success belongs to the committed, Career success belongs to the committed, get out of there if you can’t commitget out of there if you can’t commit

• Who recommit quickly when change Who recommit quickly when change reshapes their workreshapes their work

• Strong job commitment makes work far Strong job commitment makes work far more satisfyingmore satisfying

• An excellent antidote for stressAn excellent antidote for stress• Fine cure for the pain of changeFine cure for the pain of change• Bringing out your best potential & more Bringing out your best potential & more

valuablevaluable

GR# 2: Commit fully to your jobGR# 2: Commit fully to your job

They’re only putting in a nickel,

but they want a dollar song.”

--Song Song TitleTitle

--Song Song TitleTitle

• Your employer will expect more from youYour employer will expect more from you

• Market place is far more demanding these Market place is far more demanding these daysdays

• Your customer expect top notch & speedy Your customer expect top notch & speedy service or will take their business to service or will take their business to competitorscompetitors

• Do more-Faster and better – with lessDo more-Faster and better – with less

• This calls for highly committed peopleThis calls for highly committed people

The factsThe factsThe factsThe facts

What it means to YouWhat it means to YouWhat it means to YouWhat it means to You









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• Organization that are lean, agile and quick Organization that are lean, agile and quick to respond have the edgeto respond have the edge

• Organization can’t go fast if their employees Organization can’t go fast if their employees go slowgo slow

• You need to operate in strong sense of You need to operate in strong sense of urgencyurgency

• Emphasize action, don’t bog down in Emphasize action, don’t bog down in endless preparationendless preparation

• Learn to fail fast, fix it and race onLearn to fail fast, fix it and race on• Seek radical breakthroughSeek radical breakthrough

GR# 3: Speed UpGR# 3: Speed Up

Cable TV required 25years to reach a

critical mass of 10million

subscribers, but cell phones and VCRs

took only 9 years to achieve that level. The worldwide web reached the same

plateau in a mere 5 years

• ““Slow” kills companiesSlow” kills companies• Environment drives the decision to Environment drives the decision to

decentralize, to delegate powerdecentralize, to delegate power• Organization must eliminate excess Organization must eliminate excess

baggage, abandon bureaucratic practicebaggage, abandon bureaucratic practice• This is raw survival instincts at work. This is raw survival instincts at work.

Organization must accelerate or they will Organization must accelerate or they will diedie

The factsThe facts

What it means to YouWhat it means to You









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• Learn to create role clarity for yourself.Learn to create role clarity for yourself.• Take personal responsibility for figuring out Take personal responsibility for figuring out

the top prioritiesthe top priorities• Don’t wait for someone to frame out your Don’t wait for someone to frame out your

dutiesduties• Chase down information you needChase down information you need• Show initiativesShow initiatives• Learn to loosen upLearn to loosen up• Accept the fact that your work life is going to Accept the fact that your work life is going to

be fuzzy around the edgesbe fuzzy around the edges

GR# 4: Accept ambiguity and uncertaintyGR# 4: Accept ambiguity and uncertainty

“It’s like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that

way”--E.L. DoctorowE.L. Doctorow--E.L. DoctorowE.L. Doctorow

• You are faced with new expectations, You are faced with new expectations, shifting priorities, and different reporting shifting priorities, and different reporting relationshipsrelationships

• There are more questions than answersThere are more questions than answers• Role may be vague, assignment altered Role may be vague, assignment altered

constantly,constantly,• Work roles out of focus most of the timeWork roles out of focus most of the time

The factsThe facts










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• Assume more personal responsibility for the Assume more personal responsibility for the success for the entire enterprisesuccess for the entire enterprise

• You need a sense of managing the wholeYou need a sense of managing the whole• Think how you (personally) can help cut Think how you (personally) can help cut

costs, serve customer better, improve costs, serve customer better, improve productivity, and innovateproductivity, and innovate

• How you can add directly to the financial How you can add directly to the financial health of the organizationhealth of the organization

• Think yourself as “Self Employed”, you are on Think yourself as “Self Employed”, you are on your own, you have to “build your business”your own, you have to “build your business”

GR# 5: Behave like you’re in business for GR# 5: Behave like you’re in business for yourselfyourself

“We are all in this alone”--Lily TomlinLily Tomlin--Lily TomlinLily Tomlin

• Organizations are breaking into bits and Organizations are breaking into bits and getting flattergetting flatter

• Organization become more entrepreneurial. Organization become more entrepreneurial. They want decision to be made by people They want decision to be made by people closest to the customer to move faster.closest to the customer to move faster.

• You are seeing more self-directed teamsYou are seeing more self-directed teams• More power, information, and responsibility More power, information, and responsibility

flow through youflow through you

The factsThe facts










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• Lifelong learning is the only way to remain Lifelong learning is the only way to remain competitive in the job marketcompetitive in the job market

• Your future employability depends on you to Your future employability depends on you to stay abreast of what’s happening in your fieldstay abreast of what’s happening in your field

• Read, attend workshops and seminars, take Read, attend workshops and seminars, take courses, Volunteer for understudy, accept courses, Volunteer for understudy, accept lateral moves that will broaden you, ask for lateral moves that will broaden you, ask for learning opportunitieslearning opportunities

• Be sure to develop transferable skills to give Be sure to develop transferable skills to give “portability” to your career“portability” to your career

• The more you know how to do, and the better The more you know how to do, and the better you do it, the more valuable you becomeyou do it, the more valuable you become

GR# 6: Stay in schoolGR# 6: Stay in school

“Mankind’s knowledge base is now doubling in a period of less than

2years”

--Peter CochranePeter CochraneTips for Time TravelersTips for Time Travelers--Peter CochranePeter Cochrane

Tips for Time TravelersTips for Time Travelers

• It doesn’t take long for skills and knowledge It doesn’t take long for skills and knowledge to get outdated in fast-changing worldto get outdated in fast-changing world

• Technological advances and flood of new Technological advances and flood of new information make it hard to keep up with information make it hard to keep up with what’s going onwhat’s going on

• Some careers don’t even get a chance to Some careers don’t even get a chance to change, they simply disappearchange, they simply disappear

The factsThe facts










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• Think broadlyThink broadly• Consider the big pictureConsider the big picture• Learn to work across departmental Learn to work across departmental

boundariesboundaries• Combine your efforts seamlessly with others Combine your efforts seamlessly with others

to achieve same end resultsto achieve same end results• Eliminate unnecessary stepsEliminate unnecessary steps• Do your part, drive organization directly Do your part, drive organization directly

toward the outcomes that count the mosttoward the outcomes that count the most

GR# 7: Hold yourself accountable for GR# 7: Hold yourself accountable for outcomesoutcomes

“Somebody has to do something, and it’s just incredibly

pathetic that is has to be us”

-Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead-Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead-Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead-Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead

• Responsibility, power, and authority are being Responsibility, power, and authority are being pushed down to the lowest levels. For this to pushed down to the lowest levels. For this to work, you have to stand accountable to work, you have to stand accountable to resultsresults

• Your worth will be measured by your work Your worth will be measured by your work group’s collective resultsgroup’s collective results

The factsThe facts










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• Prove your worth to the Prove your worth to the organizationorganization

• Make a differenceMake a difference• Add enough value so everyone can Add enough value so everyone can

see that something very important see that something very important would be missing if you leftwould be missing if you left

GR# 8: Add valueGR# 8: Add value

“The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a

dog. The man will be there to feed the dog.

The dog will be there to keep the man from

touching the equipment.”

--Warren BennisWarren BennisAuthor and DistinguishedAuthor and DistinguishedProfessor of Business Administration,Professor of Business Administration,University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

--Warren BennisWarren BennisAuthor and DistinguishedAuthor and DistinguishedProfessor of Business Administration,Professor of Business Administration,University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

• It’s your “contribution” that counts, not the It’s your “contribution” that counts, not the hours (or years) you put in. Or how busy you hours (or years) you put in. Or how busy you areare

• The experience that your have may not worth The experience that your have may not worth today because the world is changing so today because the world is changing so rapidlyrapidly

• You will be paid for performance, your value You will be paid for performance, your value add rather than your tenure, good intentions add rather than your tenure, good intentions or activity levelor activity level

The factsThe facts










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• You must get close- intimately close-to your You must get close- intimately close-to your customerscustomers

• Seek regular, direct contact with your Seek regular, direct contact with your customerscustomers

• Build strong relationshipBuild strong relationship• Deliver the highest quality service possibleDeliver the highest quality service possible• Anticipate their needs, and develop a Anticipate their needs, and develop a

reputation for responsivenessreputation for responsiveness

GR# 9: See yourself as service centerGR# 9: See yourself as service center

“They laughed at Joan of Arc, but she

went right ahead and built it”

- - Gracie AllenGracie Allen- - Gracie AllenGracie Allen

• Your job security depends on how valuable you are to your “customer”

• There are both internal and external customers

• We always take our customers for granted• Your customer will replace you with a better

service provider if you are not competitive

• The more you allow your service to go soft, the greater the odds you could end up in downsizing statistics

The factsThe facts










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• Don’t let low morale drain away Don’t let low morale drain away precious energy, destroy your self-precious energy, destroy your self-confidence, or damage your confidence, or damage your attractiveness as a job candidateattractiveness as a job candidate

• Take charge of your moodsTake charge of your moods

• Show resilience – bounce back on your Show resilience – bounce back on your ownown

GR# 10: Manage your own moraleGR# 10: Manage your own morale

“If a cat spoke, it would say things like ‘Hey, I don’t see the

problem here’”- - Roy Blount, JrRoy Blount, Jr- - Roy Blount, JrRoy Blount, Jr

• Saddling someone else to keep you contented Saddling someone else to keep you contented and upbeat at work is a slick moveand upbeat at work is a slick move

• Higher management can end up having to do Higher management can end up having to do things that are hard for people to accept. things that are hard for people to accept.

• This doesn’t mean that whoever is in charge This doesn’t mean that whoever is in charge should carry the burden of responsibility to should carry the burden of responsibility to pump you back uppump you back up

• If you expect someone to take care of your If you expect someone to take care of your morale, you dis-empower yourself, you will morale, you dis-empower yourself, you will end up hurting longer than necessaryend up hurting longer than necessary

The factsThe facts










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• You should upgrade your job performanceYou should upgrade your job performance• Your productivity, response time, quality, cost Your productivity, response time, quality, cost

control, and customer service should all show control, and customer service should all show steady gainsteady gain

• Your skills should be in a state of constant Your skills should be in a state of constant renewalrenewal

• If you’ve passionately practiced kaizen, you’ll If you’ve passionately practiced kaizen, you’ll have built your competency level. Your track have built your competency level. Your track record will help sell yourecord will help sell you

GR# 11: Practice KaizenGR# 11: Practice Kaizen

“Good quality is a stupid idea. The only thing that

counts is your quality getting better at a more

rapid rate than your principal competitors.

It’s real simple. If we’re not getting more, better,

faster than they are, then we are getting less better or more worse.”--Tom PetersTom Peters--Tom PetersTom Peters

• Organization can’t improve unless its people Organization can’t improve unless its people dodo

• Kaizen keep you reaching, stretching to outdo Kaizen keep you reaching, stretching to outdo yesterdayyesterday

• Major innovations will occur if every employee Major innovations will occur if every employee constantly keeps an eye out for improvementsconstantly keeps an eye out for improvements

• Without Kaizen, you’ll both be “out of Without Kaizen, you’ll both be “out of business”business”

The factsThe facts

What it means to You










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• Take personal responsibilitiesTake personal responsibilities

• Assume ownership of problemsAssume ownership of problems

• Let the solutions start with youLet the solutions start with you

GR# 12: Be a fixer, not a finger-pointerGR# 12: Be a fixer, not a finger-pointer

“We have only one person to blame, and that’s each other.”

--Barry BeckBarry BeckNew York RangerNew York Ranger--Barry BeckBarry BeckNew York RangerNew York Ranger

• Problems are the natural offspring Problems are the natural offspring of change, so you will see plenty of change, so you will see plenty of them in the years to comeof them in the years to come

• Organizations need people who Organizations need people who can take care of problems, not can take care of problems, not point them outpoint them out

• We wasted time and energy to We wasted time and energy to criticize and complaincriticize and complain

The factsThe facts











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• Reframe your relationship with the organization• Don’t assume you are automatically “entitled”

to pay increases, promotions• What you can do is to constantly upgrade your

skills, stay flexible and never think that your employer is supposed to protect your future

• Take personal responsibility for your career

GR# 13: Alter your expectationGR# 13: Alter your expectation

“It’s a question of whether we’re going

to go forward into the future, or past to

the back”--Vice President Dan Vice President Dan QuayleQuayle--Vice President Dan Vice President Dan QuayleQuayle

• Organization can’t stop the world from changing. The best they can do is adapt.

• High velocity change has eliminated the need for many jobs.

• Because of new technology and global competition, organization are being reshaped and work is being done differently

• The marketplace is merciless

The factsThe facts


Lastly,Lastly,

Embrace changeEmbrace change

and and

Develop the work habits you need Develop the work habits you need

for job success in the Information for job success in the Information

AgeAge

Refer to below book for more detailsRefer to below book for more details

The Employee Handbook ofThe Employee Handbook of

New Work HabitsNew Work Habits

For A Radically Changing WorldFor A Radically Changing World

13 Ground Rules for Job Success13 Ground Rules for Job Success

In the Information AgeIn the Information Age

Price PritchettPrice Pritchett