‘Vision’, ‘Mission’, ‘Values’
How can one translate it into reality?
The ‘vision’, ‘mission’, ‘values’ (VMV) statements are chiefly twined on operational
areas of any institution. These statements throw light on personnel who are in direct
touch with their customers. Every action emanating from any desk must always be
transparent. One should execute the work allotted with integrity and pick the
discrepancy that annoys individual the most and make it a top priority to cure it at the
earliest point of time. Managers agree on some structures to put in place to ensure
that change happens – it may be in communication, processes, presentation etc. Hierarchy
of values should form as ultimate goals of any institution. Personnel may learn through
observation and direct experience.
For example, some years back, I met with two major road accidents from which I
have learnt lessons and do not commit that I did when those accidents took place. One was – instead of flowing through the natural traffic, I suddenly severed to the left in one of the traffic junctions at Chennai when a motor car just started after the green signal had dashed at my bicycle. I escaped with little injury to my bicycle. From that day afterwards, I started flowing through the natural traffic. In another accident, when I had negotiated to change the lane in the traffic, motorbike man hit at my cycle, I had fallen down in the arterial road of Chennai; luckily no vehicles backside at that time; again escaped with minor injury. From this fat(al)eful day afterwards, I changed my lane negotiating place. These two incidents had taught me lessons which I follow till now)
It is for the workforce to produce novel and useful ideas to their organization from
time to time relating to deficiencies and for improving efficiency through various
channels like Staff Suggestion Scheme, Human Resources Management System
Discussion portal, feedback source etc. In fact, all should act as Whistle blowers also
when they report unethical practices by persons around them to the management.
While doing so, there has been absolutely no likelihood of any harm or injury to the
administration of organisation and it has been only a fair criticism and expression of the
factual situation towards improving institution’s efficiency.
Self-efficacy – “The individual’s belief that he or she is capable of performing
task”. Management must practice equity theory in their place – Individuals compare their job inputs and outcomes with those of others and then respond to eliminate any inequities. All should follow a value system – identified by self-respect, honesty,
obedience and equality. We should be pragmatic, maintain emotional distance and
believe that ends can justify means. All must understand their role perception and act in
a given situation accordingly.
Online communications ought to be handled skillfully and appropriate words chosen
by me for such communications and more so, it must be open and candid, trusting and
sensitive to each other’s needs. Workforce should be after the management for their
periodical shifting from one task to another in order to have diverse exposure. Normally,
we work during a common core time period each day but have been flexible to work
outside the core time at the time of need, sharing other’s job. Customer-responsive
culture – its slogan – “when you’re here, you’re family” is one part of its culture and that
must be the culture followed by all.
The only difference between plans and reality is time. And time never stops!
Institution should encourage everyone to NOT just plan for the future, but act on it quickly. Workforce must realize that any slipshod in time management, would impair organisation’s performance besides shaking management’s confidence in them and so in the entir system.
In hockey, it is not where the puck is; it is where the puck will be. Our system must be based on this style of functioning. One should always try to create an environment where their colleagues are aware as to what an individual is carrying out.
‘X’ had a wonderful vision statement. It was called the “Six commandments” and every single office in the huge company had a gorgeous Lucite frame holding these
commitments. But the reality was that not one of them was really anchored in the
organizational reality and not one of them was implemented. Vision materializes only
when expression is converted into action. Express should be on these lines – “I know, our office can not create teamwork when I never bring to the surface differences, healthy dissent and create good sense of conflict? My endeavour has always been to anchor, implement and execute ‘My X’ vision through a whole variety of policies, practices, procedures, that will bring in more paradigm shift in our attitude to speak one and only X language across the institution”.
One may perceive the environment that embraces change not as a threat but
as an opportunity. Workforce may persist on the management to show good leadership traits by driving us to perform our best while allowing each one the space to nurture our individual style. The comparison between colleagues in an office is odious and unfair.
Some ideas work; others ruthlessly backfire. Yet, ideas are important. One has to shun
primary assumptions that most of us have about which ideas are important, who’s given
the idea, under what circumstances the idea was generated and will the idea work.
Decision makers build a huge mistake by overlooking ideas suggested by their
employees who might actually see an opportunity that their seniors can not. This calls
for a virtual attitudinal renaissance.
Institution must encourage the culture of information sharing with one another. It
gives lot of scope for feedback on anything which is useful for policy formulation.
One would develop good listening skills and willingness to go beyond the constraints of job description to do what is necessary to please the customer and the organization. In the process, it will be ensured that establishment and housekeeping facilities given by organisation will not be abused. All should practice the straightforward behaviour i.e. serving the institution X and not serving a particular designated authority.
Discipline – Be ensure that you are punctual to office/available at assigned desk at all
times, regular in attendance and carry out orders of superiors.
Naturally all do face constraints from their superiors and colleagues preventing
them from doing what they desire towards doing good for the organisation, at times.
Despite such setbacks, one may emit his/her execution with honesty and transparency and work with integrity and succeed in all tasks assigned.
As we know growth has no limit, we keep on revising the vision statement.