Leadership: Do you have it in you?

Nothing succeeds like success, they say. We all want to be successful in our careers, be it in our roles as individuals, team players or team leaders. Taking responsibility for one's actions is a key component of success as an individual. And taking responsibilty for what your team does is a key component of leadership. When one doesn't do that, failure is just around the corner.

At your workplace, you will often hear people passing the buck when something goes wrong. These people are definitely not going very high up the ladder. You will find most of them projecting the same pattern in their reasoning and approach to life, as well -- that nothing was their fault, including the incidents that happen in their personal lives as well.

Blame and excuses: hallmarks of an unsuccessful leader

Avoiding responsibility in one's personal life carries over into one's professional life, and vice versa. Excuses for failure and the choices you make at workplace fuel dysfunctional thinking and, subsequently, undesirable behaviour and actions. "Making excuses, rather than taking 100 per cent responsibility for your actions, decisions, and their outcomes, is the hallmark of future failures," feels Anjali Singh, a 27-year old manager with a finance company in Delhi.

This is why taking responsibility is so powerfully important and is the essence of what can make or break a leader.

Take responsibility at workplace

Taking responsibility is the underlying factor behind success at work. If someone in your team makes a mistake, you must be able to admit it, take the necessary action and then proceed. This is something that many do not understand. No leader can be successful without being accountable for his/her own actions.

Being responsible ensures that even when events outside your control go awry, you can at least determine how you will react to the situation. You can make the situation a disaster or you can use it as an opportunity to learn and to grow.

"My friend is a manager in a new startup venture. Every time we meet, I am taken aback by her failure to take responsibility for what's going on in her work and life. Everything is always someone else's fault. She explains away each problem with reasons about why she can't influence the outcome," says Anjali.

"We are continuously confronted with external pressures at work that affect us greatly. It is how we react to these pressures that largely determine what we accomplish in our career. Those who take responsibility and recognise their own weakness in the way it relates to the problem are the ones who grow and accomplish. Those who blame others or ignore their roles, stagnate and achieve less," says Rishi Gupta, 29, a manager in a telecom company.

Why people don't admit their mistakes

"Mistakes bring about a feeling of tension and anxiety within the individual. At such times, the mind seeks rational ways of escaping the situation. A range of defence mechanisms can be triggered. These defence mechanisms are subconsciously employed to protect the ego and they tend to distort, transform, or otherwise falsify reality. One uses these 'deceptions' to avoid facing issues of guilt, failure, fear, emotional pain, or embarrassment. In distorting reality, there is a change in perception which helps to lessen anxiety," says psychologist Dr. Kanchan Misra. There are many defence mechanisms. Some examples are:

• Denial: Claiming/believing what is true to be false
• Projection: Attributing uncomfortable feelings to others
• Displacement: Redirecting emotions to a substitute target
• Rationalisation: Creating false but credible justifications
• Reaction formation: Overeacting in an opposite way to the fear
• Intellectualisation: Taking an objective viewpoint in order to ignore the emotional aspect
• Regression: Going back to acting like a child
• Repression: Pushing uncomfortable thoughts into the subconscious
• Sublimation: Redirecting 'wrong' urges into socially acceptable actions
• "Some defence mechanisms are healthy. However, we sometimes either use them at the wrong time or overuse them, which can be destructive," says Dr Misra. For example, a leader whose team keeps failing, may misuse defence mechanisms such as rationalisation, projection, or denial, often.

Common defensive expressions used at the workplace

"It was not my fault." (blaming others without accepting personal responsibility)
"It wasn't all that important." (belittling the act)
"It happened a long time ago." (implying it doesn't matter anymore)
"They made me do it." (blaming others for a personal wrong act)
"There was no other way out." (justification of wrong)
"It only happened once." (rationalisation)
"Everyone does it." (rationalisation)
"I am only human." (indirectly blaming god)
"Well, no one is perfect." (general comparison to shift the guilt)
"The contract we lost was not a good one anyway." (a case of 'sour grapes' -- another defense mechanism)
How to take responsibility as a leader

"You have to be emotionally mature enough to see your decisions through and deal with the outcomes, whether positive or negative," says Rishi. Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind:

Acknowledge that your work is your responsibility

No matter how much you try to blame others for the events at work, each event is the outcome of choices you made and are making. Demonstrate accountability.

Make no excuses

Listen to the little voice inside your head. "The next time you catch yourself making an excuse, whether for a missed deadline or an unmet goal, gently remind yourself -- no excuses," says Anjali. Excuses fuel failure.

Listen to yourself when you speak

"Observe yourself talking with colleagues and friends. In your conversation, do you hear yourself blaming others for things that aren't going exactly as you wish? If you can sense your blaming patterns, you can stop them," says Dr Misra.

Take feedback seriously

If someone gives you feedback that you make excuses and blame others for your troubles, control your defensive reaction, explore examples and deepen your understanding of the situation.

Thus, when events at the workplace exert pressure on you, you can respond positively or negatively. Those who respond positively and take responsibility rather than blame others or be indifferent are the ones who grow as leaders. Consequently, they develop the foundation for great positive responses, great achievement, and great success in leadership.

So, are you ready to take responsibility for your actions?

Gearing up for the Appraisal!!

Come April and appraisals stare you in the face. And the best time to start preparing for them is now. Don't wait for the last minute -- it will only make you more anxious. Remember, the right attitude and the right preparation can help your appraisal go smoothly.

"Many people dread their performance appraisal," says 28-year-old Delhi based HR manager, Anuj Raheja. "But it shouldn't be like that. To bolster your chances for a good review and a potential raise or advancement, solid year-round preparation is critical."

Ongoing process

Performance appraisals should be an ongoing developmental process, instead of a formal once-a-year review. It must be closely monitored by both the employee and reviewer to make sure targets are being met. By preparing yourself diligently all through the year, and demonstrating cooperation with your reviewer to develop your role, you will create a positive impression.

"Keep your eyes open all year for things you can list as accomplishments on your review. Take courses. Keep abreast with emerging technology to impress your boss. If opportunities to broaden your knowledge/ skills come up during the year, don't wait for your supervisor's invitation to take advantage of them," advises Chetna Johari, 27, a computer engineer.

"You need to move purposefully through your career," says Rishi Gupta, 29, a manager in a telecom company. "You have to continuously show a sense of lifelong learning."

Unfair appraisal last year?

Performance appraisals often are not exactly what we expect or want. Frequently, the emphasis tends to be on what you did not do or what you did wrong, rather than on accomplishments. Somehow, your boss may have a tendency to let the negative dominate.

Your last appraisal is history. However, your next appraisal is still in the future and you can do a lot to influence what your boss has to say then.

Dissecting your last appraisal

Look at the method by which you were rated. List the areas that seem to be important to your boss. Consider your performance over the last year and plan accordingly for the next year:

1. What have you done well?
2. How could your performance be improved?
3. Were there any organisational/ management issues that affected your performance?
4. How could these be resolved?
5. How well did you contribute to the performance of your team?
6. Were your training and development needs met?
7. What are your continuing development needs with respect to your job?
8. How will they be met?
9. What are your long-term career goals?

Prepare for your next appraisal

"In order to assess your own performance objectively, try viewing it from your manager's perspective. Be conversant with the company's assessment policies and study the performance appraisal documentation carefully. Go through it step-by-step, anticipating comments and preparing your responses," advises Rishi.

Understand your main role. What knowledge, skills and attitude do you need to be successful? Quantify your achievements as far as possible and document how they have contributed to the organisation's success. What has gone less well? What can you do better?

"Document your difficulties as and when you encounter them all through the year. This way, come appraisal time, you will be in a position to discuss them authoritatively," says Chetna.

Think about the future.

How would you like your career to progress? What experience, knowledge, skills and attitude do you require to develop to help you achieve your goals? What support do you need from your manager, your colleagues and your company to improve your current job performance? What additional responsibilities would you like to take that will help you develop professionally?

Speak up about your accomplishments

Most performance reviews include a self-appraisal section where you should enumerate your year-long successes. "People often have a really hard time talking about themselves in a positive way," observes Anuj. Put that aside. "This is a business exchange. These are things you've worked hard for, and you want to bring them to the table," he says.

Compile documentary evidence to support your assertions, eg e-mails, letters, press releases, newspaper articles, testimonials, etc. Make a list of all conferences, seminars and training courses you've attended.

Brush up your negotiating skills

Preparation is the key if you're aiming for a raise or a promotion. Read up on negotiating strategies. Ask your boss about your company's promotion policy, so you can gain the knowledge and experience required to advance. "Also, ask your boss how he/ she moved up in the company and about the challenges he/ she overcame," says Chetna.

Take the positive and the negative

Even with all your preparation, your performance appraisal is unlikely to be entirely positive. "Obviously, whoever is doing your review will look for both strengths and weaknesses," says Rishi. The employee must be prepared for that and say how they plan to improve. Don't react emotionally to the negatives -- remaining businesslike throughout the review is important.

Make specific, measurable, realistic goals

Make a list of things you plan to accomplish prior to the next appraisal period. Put it in writing. Each item on your list should be specific, measurable and realistic.

For example, if you want to improve the number of times you come to work late, you can state it as: "Reduce the number of days I am late for work to no more than two per month". This is both specific and measurable.

To be realistic, the goal should be something you have to stretch for, to attain, but it should not be something you have to kill yourself to accomplish.

How your boss can help

Ask your boss to block some quiet time when he/ she will not be interrupted as you have something important to discuss with him/ her. Start the discussion by expressing concern with your last appraisal.

Take care not to attack your boss or criticise the previous appraisal. "Be open and cooperative. Acknowledge problems and deal positively and maturely with criticism. Avoid giving the impression that you're on the defensive. It's better to downplay the previous appraisal and concentrate on ways of making the next one better," says Rishi.

Reach an agreement with your boss

Discuss with your boss the list of goals you have made for the next period. Give him/ her a chance to indicate if your list needs to be modified. The final list should be jointly compiled. "Ask for clarifications wherever necessary. If you feel that targets are unrealistic, say so sensitively," advise Chetna.

Agree upon when your progress towards your goals will be measured and how the results will be reported. This will help ensure your next performance appraisal will be based on objective and documented data.

By putting your goals in writing, and making them specific, measurable, and realistic, you will be indirectly teaching your boss to appraise you more objectively without even mentioning the fact that his/her last appraisal was subjective and undocumented. Remember, the key is to keep the conversation future-oriented.

Follow-up

Keep a file to remind you of the dates on which to measure progress on your goals. After checking it, report to your boss to keep him/ her informed of your progress. "This will demonstrate you are seriously working towards the goals. It will also subtly remind your boss of his/ her obligation to do his/ her part of the reporting," says Anuj.

We all perform to the best of our ability when we know exactly what is expected of us, when we know we are valued and supported, when we know where we are going, and when we receive regular feedback on our progress.

Improving your performance appraisal need not be left to chance. You can play an active role. Make appraisals your friend by preparing for them beforehand. Your time starts now.