Working it out
PRESSURE OF RESPONSIBILITY
I lost my father last month and a few days ago received his will papers. I have been entrusted with his entire company and I have no idea as to what I can do with it. I am an artist by profession and know nothing about clothes manufacturing factory. There are a lot of people dependent on the company and I can’t simply shut it. How do I tackle this?
Ans: The situation you have found yourself in surely involves a lot of responsibilities. Since you mentioned you are an artist by profession and wouldn’t want to take up the company, probably hiring a business planner could be of help so that you can decide the future course of action. Handing over the ropes of the company to someone in family who is
trustworthy while maintaining the ownership could be another way out of this situation. Speaking to an expert in business management should be a start to have a plan of action in sight. S/he can guide you as to what can be done with the company where the employees are not suffering as well as you get the worth of your father’s efforts of so many years. During this transition some professional help could also prevent from the company name being compromised in any way thus preserving the goodwill.
TOO ‘COOL’ TO HANDLE
A few days ago I was approached by an organisation to join them as an additional manager. The position is quite a jump from my current one. The pay is also decent, but the work place culture there isn’t what I am used to. When I went for the interview I was stumped by the casualness at that firm. People would come in wearing very casual clothes, smoke at the desk and talk brashly to each other. This is completely opposite to where I am currently working. I am hesitant to go ahead, but it is an amazing opportunity to let go. What should I do?
Ans:
The environment you work in does have an impact on to certain degree however the reaction to that impact is dependent on your personality factors. Thus, if the reasons you have for shifting to another job are quite in place and you are less likely to let the casual work environment affect you, then the shift could be smoother. Ultimately, the manner in which you function if remains immune to the external work environment; you can co-exist with how others function around you. There will be some aspects that you are finding shocking at the new workplace, however if you look at the overall feel that the place gives you, you can make a better decision.
UNDER FINANCIAL CRISIS
Last few years have been very difficult for me to run my grocery shop. I have experienced no profit in the last year and a half and the increasing reliance on online shopping or visiting super markets, my business has taken a beating. I wish to continue with the business and not give up as I have invested not only monetarily, but also emotionally. Is there something that I can do differently? I do not wish to burden myself financially.
Ans:
The business you run holds an emotional space in your life which has been nurtured over the years. In business along with emotionality, practicality holds an essential place as well. At the moment, looking around in the market you can find the ways in which your shop lacks certain facilities. Next, you can plan as to what is feasible to accommodate in your shop out of those facilities. Today people are fast paced and very tech savvy thus bringing in those features could help you in re-establishing yourself. The key is to tap the requirements of the market and accordingly make a plan of action for your shop. Hiring a business development professional could also be of help so that you can get a professional opinion as well and know how to go about market changes by not outdoing yourself at the same time.
WORK-LIFE WOES
I am a 25 year old male who recently started a job at an investment bank. The work is extremely demanding, and I am at work for 10-11 hours a day, I have tried to reason with my boss about the amount of work given, but to no avail. Ever since our conversation, the professional relationship between us has been strained, and it has made for an unappealing work environment for me, and for the team I work with. What should I do?
Ans:
At times the communication pattern used matters a lot in creating an impact on the other person. In your case you approached your boss with a set of complaints about how much work can be done which wasn’t taken too well. In order to reduce the strain, approaching him this time around with how you can work efficiently when given x amount of work as opposed to y amount of work could help. A middle ground has to be achieved if both of you have to co-exist, in the same workplace.
ARROGANT BOSS
I am a 28 year old woman. I have been working in my company for over 6 years now. Recently, my old boss retired and I got a new boss. He is very arrogant, always wants his way and does not listen to any suggestions I make. Obviously, I don’t expect him to listen to all that I have to say, but I would like it if he would at least acknowledge. He overloads me with a lot of tasks to do with very short deadlines that are hard to meet. It is overall a very frustrating situation. What should I do?
Ans:
The frustration is the surface level feeling of more complex feelings such as loss of familiarity and being answerable to a new person. Since your rapport with the previous boss is now severed and the same hasn’t been established here with the new boss, these feelings might appear too intense. There is a high possibility of the new boss being demanding; however, in order to bridge the gap, your efforts would involve being communicative and open to discussions. Expressing your work limits and working with him to figure out a mid-way is essential so as to work harmoniously.
Dr Anjali Chhabria, http://anjalichhabria.com MINDTEMPLE