A fresh team simplifies a routine task.

A task when taken over by a new team, gets simplified to large extent.  Often a task is performed periodically like preparing annual budgets, giving compliance to Board, Management, etc., in any organisation. When a given team takes up the task for the first time, they design the subroutines, formats, information flows,etc in quite an elaborate manner and the task being new more manpower and thinking resources are spent in streamlining the task. As the time flows, the task is reviewed, redesigned and protocols put in place.  Being the initiators, the team also strives to maintain the protocols and original intent/spirit in tact. In fact, the team gets attached to the protocols. Over time, as new members enter the team with a old ones leaving it, there will be attempt to question the original protocols in the new context.  Still the continuing old members try to keep up the traditions.  Sooner or later, the tasks will be completed in a shorter time and even certain protocols omitted without raising any eyebrows and often without anybody noticing it. Ultimately, task is performed in a much simpler way. 

When we were giving periodic compliance to management, Board, ED, etc it really used to be an ordeal. we were always on our toes meeting the deadlines for one or the other compliance out of the four sets of compliance to be sent in a month. Once the entire team was changed, my colleague took over from me and after a month or so i found that they were not sending one particular compliance which we were sending faithfully every fortnight. Shocked at it i enquired about it and the reply was they never sent such fortnightly compliance and they made the entire compliance business a monthly affair. In disbelief I was making sure if they did not get any reminders from the coordinating department attached to management. To my utter surprise and post-facto frustration, i came to know that there was no such communication from the other side and hence they standardised their own new practice.  Subsequently, after several years, i found that the entire compliance business has been reduced to an insignificant and low profile routine.

A fresh team simplifies a routine task,  indeed.

Yours truly 

satya

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using blogger android version

two laws!

you must have read many laws like peter's principle, parkinson's law, etc making rounds. in course of my as well as others' experinces in organisations, especially public sector, i came out with two axioms or laws.

1.Organisations surprise the employees. the surprise element may become more intensive as the complexity of hierarchial structure increases.
2. organisational systems encourage mediocrity.

While individual employees may strive to excel system always works to bring out mediocrity. these laws apply to large esp. public sector entities with hierarchial system and i cannot tell if they apply to others. i will try to elaborate with examples later. meanwhile critique welcome.

Thanks to Nirupam for helping me thrash out the first law.

satyasai 

post from my mobile

this is from android phone using blogit. it is wonderful to be able to connect your blog through mobile. only dissatisfaction is i cannot use telugu on my samsung galaxy fit. hindi i am able to type in using multiling keyboard. waiting for telugu...

Learn to Lose

We all clamour for winning. Especially over others. But there is a pleasure in losing too.  One will experience that pleasure only through personal experience. We all would have lost in a game or race to our children to see happiness in their face. But  we never wish to lose for fellow adults say spouse or friend. Initially it seem difficult to accept the concept and practice.  People may even brand you a fool if you lose when you can win otherwise. Even the person for who you are losing also may not appreciate.  Rest assured. Over time, you will be happy with your decision. Losing for others does not mean losing everything every time as per some time table.

Recently, in Mr.Perfect, a telugu movie starring Prabhas, this concept is introduced and highlighted as the ultimate winner. The heroin wanted to join the game of cricket and bowl at a crucial time that can ruin the game and the hero did not want to allow her to ensure a win for his team. Hero's father pressurises him and demonstrates to him by holding water in his palm with all fingers together. He explains that by being together with friends (symbolised by fingers) you stand to hold much water and by spreading the fingers (being individualistic) you can hardly hold any water.  Hero resented and took a decision never to compromise in life and led such life till the end when he realises the value of his father's words at the end as the heroin demonstrates what is love which is nothing but losing.

My professor used to say the same thing in a different way.  He used to say that to gain something you should lose something and when we expect others to do something  for us we should do something.  Initiative should ours.
What an advice sirji
with love
satyasai