When you have option...why? A HR message

A scientific study has revealed an interesting aspect about peoples 'preference' versus peoples 'capability'. The finding reveals that people are quite fast in reading sentences that are constructed with 100 words but however they prefer sentences with 35 - 45 words. It means they want shorter columns than longer column, although they are quite fast in reading longer column.

The management message is that the preferences of people are mostly not in line with their capabilities. More often than not, the preferences most people are far below than their capabilities or in other words, no one really wants to fully stretch or use their capability. The most unfortunate fact is that they do not even want to know their capabilities either. Most people are unaware of their real talents.

One of the reasons is that people want quick results with least effort and least time spent. The well programmed mind for quick results dictates human actions and hence people work only as per their mental programme than working with their fullest capabilities.

Even animals do resort to such options. But the difference is that they are not looking for short cuts but do not want to waste their effort and energy for no result. The fastest runner cheetah or a big pack of wild dogs, never resort to exploit their strength or capability when they see a prey animal. They slowly move close to the prey animal, measure the distance, understand the possibility of the catch when they chase, the likely distance to chase etc. Only after ascertaining all the above facts, they resort to their strength or capability.

It does not mean that these animals have their preference far below than their capabilities. They do not want to simply believe that they are capable nor do they want to waste their effort. For definite success, they sometime freeze their capabilities. On the other hand, the corporate man, freeze his capabilities mostly without knowing it. Due to his shortsighted, impatience, greed and laziness, they often prefer things far below than their capabilities.

Unless this style of functioning is changed, no corporate can ever get what the best every individual employee can do.

When the corporate measure the result, they also must measure the capability of people as well and must evaluate how much of effort, strategy, time and planning the employee has invested in getting the result. The message is that do not be jubilant your employees result, be vigilant to know about their capabilities as well and also know their preferred methods are not short, quick and far below their capabilities.

Dr S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai

Desire, Dream and Destination - Social Entrepreneur Forum