Monthly Archives: January 2023

I embrace cooperation over competition. In today’s world, collaboration and cooperation are crucial for achieving goals. Competition is important, but it should only be with oneself. One must strive to be better than they were yesterday, demonstrate new skills and work with others.

During my student years, I learned the notion of beating others to secure a top position. My friends held similar beliefs. Sadly, many of us failed and became frustrated. However, during an art competition, I saw my daughter and her friends sharing their colored pencils. I asked why and she replied, “They’re all my friends and we each have different ideas, sharing tools won’t impact our ideas but bring inner peace.” She said her school and teachers taught her this philosophy.

During a trip to Australia to study effective teaching methods, I was awarded a scholarship to study at TAFE Hunter Institute in Newcastle for a project on Competency-Based Education for Higher Education. I learned that there’s no such thing as “PASS” or “FAIL” but instead “Competent” or “Not Yet Competent”. When I asked my supervisor why they eliminated those words, he said “PASS” or “FAIL” create negative energy and ruin the theme of cooperation and collaboration.

I applied these new insights in my team and workplace, with great results. There was no competition, just teamwork towards a common goal. Collaboration and cooperation increased. Instead of rejection, the word “Improvement” was used. To produce the best results, each team member must work together to bring out their best. Teams with unity, positive thinking, cooperation, and collaboration will reach their goals. The question now is how to enhance cooperation and collaboration within a team.

Enhancing cooperation and collaboration within a team can be achieved through several effective strategies. One way is to encourage open communication and active listening, where team members are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas and actively listen to each other to promote understanding.

Another way is to foster a positive and inclusive team culture by promoting trust, respect, and a sense of belonging among team members. Setting clear roles and responsibilities for each team member, and encouraging teamwork and collaboration on projects and tasks can also help to promote cooperation and collaboration within the team.

For example, a team could hold regular check-ins to discuss progress and ensure everyone is aligned, and allocate tasks based on each team member’s strengths and interests to maximize their contributions and build a strong sense of teamwork.

In conclusion, Cooperation is the way to go. Competition, a concept rooted in outdated 20th-century capitalist ideals, is no longer relevant. Cooperation and collaboration within a team are crucial for achieving success and reaching common goals. By prioritizing cooperation and collaboration, teams can work together effectively and achieve their targets in a harmonious and productive manner.

Author

K M Hasan Ripon, Executive Director, BSDI

Life is a journey that presents us with both challenges and opportunities. It can be difficult to navigate at times, but with the right mindset, we can make the most of our experiences. One of the most important aspects of living a fulfilling life is overcoming laziness and becoming more productive.

Recently, I had the privilege of discussing life with my mentor, Mr. Gemunu Wijesena from Sri Lanka. During our conversation, he imparted to me a simple yet effective formula for leading a fulfilling life. The formula consists of five powerful words: Active, Skilled, Money, Friends, and Happy. Each of these words holds a connection to the next, and by focusing on one, we can positively impact the others. This formula has greatly helped me comprehend the significance of productivity and the interdependence of various aspects of life.

The purposeful life’s formula is simple,

• Being Active will make you SKILLED!
• Skills will help you earn MONEY!
• Money will get you, FRIENDS!
• Friends will make you HAPPY!

On the other hand, if we look at it from the opposite perspective, the formula for an unsatisfying life can be described as follows:

• Laziness will keep you inefficient!
• Inefficiency will make you worthless!
• Worthless life will make you friendless!
• Life without friends will make you unhappy!

The ultimate lesson from this formula is that our mindset plays a crucial role in shaping our lives. Our creator almighty Allah has provided us with the capability to operate our lives in the right direction, but it is up to us to utilize the resources given to us effectively, or risk having a meaningless, hopeless, and unproductive existence.

So, how do we fight against laziness and live a fulfilling and meaningful life? Here are a few ways:

1. Set goals: Having a clear and specific goal in mind will give you a purpose and something to work towards.
2. Create a schedule: Set aside specific times for different activities and stick to them.
3. Surround yourself with positive influences: Spend time with people who inspire and motivate you.
4. Take care of your physical and mental health: Get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and take care of your mental well-being.
5. Practice gratitude: Appreciate what you have and be thankful for the blessings in your life.

To sum up, the five-word formula shared by my mentor, Active, Skilled, Money, Friends, and Happy, is an effective way to comprehend the connection between various elements of life. It highlights the significance of being active and efficient as the foundation for a satisfying and purposeful life. By managing our mindset and actions, we can conquer laziness and accomplish our aspirations

Author

K M Hasan Ripon, Executive Director, BSDI

In today’s society, it is not uncommon for professionals to work in offices without maintaining a high level of professionalism. Unfortunately, some professionals may not even realize that they are engaging in unprofessional behavior during their professional activities. This is a problem that I have personally encountered in my own career.

I had a reporting boss who was highly trained and experienced, but his behavior was consistently unprofessional. For example, he never took responsibility for his mistakes and refused to see areas for improvement. He had a tendency to blame others, shout and engage in misbehavior. As a result, the organization had a very high employee turnover rate. On the other hand,

I also had a boss who was very cooperative and helpful. He was always open to identifying areas for improvement and provided constructive feedback and suggestions for the future. He was polite, and calm and took ownership of his responsibilities. This type of leadership helped to improve employee retention in the organization.

I also want to share another example of my early day’s professional experience. I was assigned to lead a small marketing team and one of our responsibilities was to hang street banners. However, my boss noticed that the banners were not placed in the right places or in the right way. Instead of scolding us, he inspired and guided us on what to do next.

The following day, we again hung the banners but the results were the same. This time, my boss didn’t say anything but joined us the following day with the team to show us how to do it. With this positive attitude, he taught us how behavior can help inspire a team. After this incident, the team learned the idea of what the boss wanted us to do.

Being a boss or a manager is a challenging task that requires a combination of skills, knowledge, and experience. However, even the most experienced managers can make mistakes that can negatively impact the performance of their team. In this blog, we will discuss some of the common mistakes that most bosses make and how to avoid them.

1. Not going into detail: One of the most common mistakes that bosses make is not providing enough details to their team members. This can lead to confusion and a lack of understanding of the task at hand, which can result in poor performance. To avoid this mistake, it’s important to clearly explain the task, the objectives, and the expected results.
2. Only defining, no description of the task: Another common mistake is giving only a definition of the task without providing a clear description of what needs to be done. This can lead to confusion and lack of understanding among team members, who may not know how to proceed. To avoid this mistake, it’s important to provide a clear and detailed description of the task, including the steps that need to be taken.
3. Just instruction, no demonstration: A boss may give instructions on how to perform a task, but not demonstrate it, which can lead to mistakes and misunderstandings. It’s essential for a manager to show how the task is done, and also to answer questions or doubts that the team may have.
4. Only seeing others’ mistakes, never correcting by doing himself: A common mistake of a boss is only seeing the mistakes of others and never correcting them by doing them himself. This can lead to resentment and a lack of motivation among team members. To avoid this, it’s important for a boss to lead by example and to be willing to correct his own mistakes.
5. Not sharing a clear vision and goals with team members: A boss may have a clear vision and goals for the team but not share them with the team members. This can lead to confusion and a lack of direction among team members. To avoid this, it’s important for a boss to share his vision and goals with the team and to ensure that they understand and are aligned with them.
6. Only providing orders: A boss may only give orders to the team without providing the necessary support and guidance. This can lead to poor performance and a lack of motivation among team members. To avoid this, it’s important for a boss to provide guidance and support to the team, and to be open to feedback and suggestions.
7. No proper evaluation and monitoring: A boss may not evaluate and monitor the performance of the team, which can lead to poor performance and lack of motivation. To avoid this, it’s important for a boss to regularly evaluate and monitor the performance of the team, and to provide feedback and support as needed.
8. Lack of delegation and unawareness of biases: A boss may not delegate tasks properly or may not be aware of his own biases. This can lead to poor performance and a lack of motivation among team members. To avoid this, it’s important for a boss to delegate tasks properly, be aware of his own biases, and take steps to mitigate them.

This is a common scenario where the boss only gives advice but does not show how to do it and if the result is not as expected, they start shouting again. In my experience, I found that employee retention depends on a leader’s approach, behavior, and professional positive personality traits. A positive attitude and guidance can inspire the team to improve and learn. It’s important for a boss to lead by example and to be patient, understanding, and supportive. By fostering a culture of professionalism and positivity, organizations can improve employee satisfaction, retention, and ultimately, productivity and profitability.

In conclusion, being a boss or a manager is not easy, but by avoiding these common mistakes, you can create a positive and productive work environment for your team. By providing clear instructions, leading by example, sharing your vision and goals, and providing proper evaluation and monitoring, you can inspire your team to achieve success. Additionally, it is important to delegate tasks, be aware of biases and provide necessary support and guidance.

Author

K M Hasan Ripon,

Executive Director, Bangladesh Skill Development Institute (BSDI)

Email: [email protected]