Be helpful and friendly:

She/he is brand new so try and be as helpful as you can.And this is not only regarding work,but also things like showing them around the office,telling them about the way the team works,keeping them in the loop about meeting schedules,timings of the cafeteria,etc.Help them with the smaller issues so that they can comfortably settle into their new role.

Try not to compare:

If the new team member is replacing someone,especially one who was close to you,do not compare them.Remember,she/he is new and will take time to learn things.And if they dont meet your expectations,you are bound to start resenting them.Avoid that.

Do not feel threatened:

Just because the person is new,she/he isnt naturally a threat to your position,even if they are more educationally qualified.Also,she/he going over the call of duty should not be interpreted as trying to get into the bosses good books.Being new,they will obviously go the extra mile to make a good first impression.Instead of de-motivating or reprimanding them,help and train them to do things the right way.

Give them a fair chance:

Do not rush to conclusions about their ineffectiveness at the very first mistake.She/he is getting used to you and the team and vice verse.Yes,there will be habits that need getting used to but learn to be tolerant.More importantly,look for the positives in the new person and use them to help her/him fit into the team.

Here are some of my observations, and more likely my experiences

The Social Network – Being in the social world is amazing. News from one part of the world reaches another in no time. At the same time people are getting addicted to these sites. Competing with others on friends count, their post count or applications available on these sites these are time killers.

Already Always Listening – This is what you think you are. This is someone speaking to you continuously. Saying things like, “this is good”, “this is bad”, “look at the other person”, “ahh!! common its just 7 AM go to sleep again” and more such thing that pulls you back. But is this really who you are?

Habits – As mentioned in above point, someone in you tell you I enjoy doing this. And this is when you start doing “This” so often. Doing something so often moves things from your conscious mind to your sub-conscious mind and that’s when things become habit. And these habits are really time consuming gaining you no result at all.

Life is lifying – Most of the times we are so lazy that we let things go as they are. We stay in our comfort zone. Staying in your comfort zone will not fetch you new results. How can you expect doing same things and getting different results?

Stress – After doing all the above things we think, “What was I suppose to do by this time?”, and since we haven’t done anything much on what we were suppose to do gives us more stress. This goes on and on this is nothing but a sign that you are caught in the rat race.

All this factors contribute to your time wasters and cause you more stress. You should set an action signal that will get you back to what you were doing. Action signal can be anything like, Punching you hand in air, or saying
“back to work”, “Common”, or anything like that. So next time you are doing something you are not suppose to do just do your action signal.

Awareness is the first step. You can’t change what you don’t notice.

However,while the experience lasts,how do you hold yourself together.Intense,stressful situations test your true grit and strength of character.And that of those close to you the best and closest of relationships have been known to give away under stress.For,we change under pressure and our actions,body language and decisions are all different from what they are in normal times.Even the coolest of people seem to lose their ability to stay calm when faced with the slightest challenge to the smooth running of their lives.

The seemingly happygo-lucky Modi,who was matching steps with Bollywood stars just a few days ago,is tense and seems on the verge of a breakdown.Quite natural.We can all empathise with them since we have all been in that boat,in varying degrees,sometime or the other.And here,for Modi,his entire life,career and reputation built painstakingly over several years,seem to be collapsing around their ears like a pack of cards! How can one not be affected The challenge however would be to retain your demeanour and cool particularly when under the most pressure.Experience proves that stress can have an acute negative impact on health.Increased weight,high blood pressure,heart problems,migraines,mood swings,irritability,and insomnia you name it and stress gives it! Did you know that when stressed out,you not just tend to overeat but also eat all the wrong stuff And that stress can be so overpowering that a study shows men even change their definition of which woman they find attractive when under acute stress they end up choosing the wrong woman!

Wouldnt it be nice if,secure in the knowledge that even the worst of times cannot last forever and knowing the ill-effects of tension,we could distance ourselves from a stressful situation and watch life like a bystander Difficult to imagine,but not impossible.

If like a yogi,you could but detach yourself from life and watch yourself from a distance you would be able to escape the resultant forces that shape your life.Though at the epicenter of the activity,you would be able to rise above and stay unmoved and unfazed.Sounds improbable Try it.With every impossible situation,when we are under deep stress,there comes a moment when we finally give in and go with the flow.The moment when we realise that no amount of struggle or effort is going to help us and its better to give in and conserve energy.And at that point,you find yourself enter an area of stillness.The chatter is cut out and a quiet delight is born.And that is the point at which you start living a carefree life

Here are some points which you should look in the developer before hiring,

Technical strength –
The person should be technically strong in the language or the field he is hired for. Should know technical jargon’s and should be able to deal with technical difficulties. Since this is for IT field person needs to be extremely strong technically.

Learning ability –
He should be quick in grasping things. He should have pick up things faster. You may wonder how you may identify this while taking his interview. However you can check his reaction for the questions he don’t know the answer of, does he/she asks you back? Or what he does.

How good is he/she in using Google –
Google being the best friend of any developer, you should also check out how comfortable he is with Google. You can ask him a question and if he is not able to answer. You can ask him what would you search if you are given Google to find the answer for this question.

How logical is he/she –
You need to check the logic of the person. How does he creates a logic for the problem. You should ask him to explain you what he is thinking, while finding a logic. This will help you to know how the person approaches the problem.

Knows the basic –
Basic is the necessity. If the person is clear in his basics, he’ll find a way out. He’ll know which approach will work and which will not. He’ll be good at what happens when kind of stuff which we get across almost daily.

Ready to put in extra effort –
Being in IT, you may require to put in extra efforts on you work. You need to identify if the person is ready for that. You should also take into consideration the distance between the office and his house, nearer the better. However if you’ll ask the person if he is ready to put in extra efforts his/her answer will always be yes, because he wants the job. So how will you identify? Ask him a question like you need to do a task and you are given very less time what will you do, and then check out his/her approach.

Dealing with pressure –
Pressure in IT is obvious! So it becomes necessary to identify whether the person can cope up with it. What will he do in if he is put into pressure the same question asked in the above point can also identify how will that person react in pressure condition.

Communication –
How good is the communication of that person. How well can he explain things to others. Is he polite is he rude these are few things to be noticed while interviewing.

Attitude –
Attitude is another important thing of the person. How is the attitude of the person positive or negative, how does he react when he gives a wrong answer? You need to have close look at the person.

Confidence –
You will also need to assess the person confidence, it will determine how fast will he grow, will he be an asset for the company?

Feel free to share your thoughts on this. By dropping a comment

- Does your performance speak for itself?
If the answer is yes, you have a change. Present all your achievements in the time you have been here. Showcase how these achievements are noteworthy and need recognition in the form of a promotion and raise. The best time to ask for one is immediately after a recent major achievement where you have displayed exemplary behavior.

But a word of caution here, it is not just the recent performance that would be considered, your past performance, ability to perform under pressure and meet tight deadlines would enhance your chances for a promotion.

- Are you ready to take on the additional responsibilities?
Promotion means additional responsibilities not only towards your job, but also towards organization building too. The expectation levels will also increase the moment you move to the next level. What was exceptional performance in the last role would be considered average in the new role. As you move ahead in your career, remember that there is no scope for complacency.

- Is there a position that you can fill in?
Companies do not offer promotions merely to satisfy employees. There must be a vacancy available. Organizations do not create positions to fill in your desires. Some organizations that do, might only satisfy your ego, give you a dignified position, and within a couple of months you realize that you are still stuck doing the same old routine tasks.

However, if ego issues are not involved and you have been creating value, been efficient and well informed, there is a possibility of you being given an opportunity to do something different, where you create something from scratch, perhaps a new department etc. This is your true test of performance, potential and perseverance.

- How to raise the topic?
Be very sure of what you want, why you want it and what makes you fit for the role. Do not show dissatisfaction at your current state of affairs. Present a positive picture by mentioning that you wish to contribute more towards the organization’s growth. Presentation with valid, relevant data would make your boss realize your potential. Perceived potential for growth matters a lot. Keep statistics handy during the discussion; showcase your contribution and achievement.

Bridging the generation gap is important to ensure a smooth functioning of the team. Listed below are a few pointers that might help in ironing the creases:

Be accommodative:

To begin with, do not typecast an individual, and do not let ego govern you, Its important to be accommodative . Neither of the groups are evil, nor is anyone at work to please the other. Its important to look at each other as colleagues and try to be accommodative of new ideas and work in sync with each other. At times HR initiatives like team building activities or a weekend outings also help break the ice.

Talk-it-out :

Effective communication helps resolve most differences. Whenever you are in a conflicting situation, its best to talk it out. Each generation comes with its own distinct attitude. Thus learning to communicate keeping in mind this distinction is half the battle won. Understand the need of the hour and arrive at a judicious conclusion ; it has to be a conclusion that will help accomplish the task effectively and not one that will massage your ego further.

Learning curve:

Each one has some inherent strengths and weaknesses and it is wise to benefit from each others strengths, If the lessons of experience can help solve a problem, why not adopt it. Or on the other hand, if there is a young professional who can tackle business much more effectively, why not appreciate it

Respect:

Respecting the people you work with helps keep the boat sailing steadily. Do not look down upon seniors as patronising, old-fashioned morons or young professionals as the aggressive lot. As we wind up, learn to see through the negatives and respect their positive qualities.

All of us like to believe that we deserve a promotion for the excellent performance rendered through the year. While some are lucky to get recognised, there are many who are not. Nevertheless, in this whole mad race to climb the success ladder, we often forget about the challenges the new position will bring. In other words, none of us really plan our promotions, and are in for a shock soon after stepping into the new role!

TALKING BUSINESS

Of course every position comes with its share of challenges, In todays scenario a position leap is very rare. So as you climb each step you learn the nuances of the job. Therefore,  there is a need to prepare oneself per se. Its a gradual growth and learning will happen once you are in the pool because until then you will never know how cold the water is.
While young professionals are confident of their abilities to take on new challenges, the reasons are bizarre as this confidence is not rooted in their abilities or domain knowledge. In other words, most young executives feel that they can or rather they must pull off a challenging leadership role effectively because they need to be in a better position in society and have a fancy pay package. Not many, however, seem to be aware of the importance of understanding the responsibilities that it entails as most young executives justify their stand.
As long as you are going to hold yourself back because of the fear of failure, you are not going to succeed. Believe in the go-get-it mantra, and have Success. Dont think much before taking up any responsibility because, the more you think, the more you get confused and consequently the fear factor increases, reducing productivity. Every failure is a learning process, so why fear

PICTURE PERFECT

While there is no denying the fact that confidence can take you a long way, the criterion for donning a leaders hat cannot be limited to just that as it requires much more. To begin with, answer this question: What does leadership mean to you? Most people are blinded by the fancy designation and remuneration. The usual presumption is that its a fancy position that entitles them to certain powers which in turn places them in a superior position than others. You get certain powers, but with that comes the responsibility of empowering team members and facilitating growth as an individual, a team and an organisation. Therefore, you need to strike the right balance. The question then is: are you ready for action Great leaders have had to grow to reach the stage they have. Its important to have a vision and a hard core plan to achieve it. This requires commitment, compromises and sacrifices; be prepared. No one becomes a great leader overnight. Building trust among team members and keeping them motivated is a continual process. In the bargain, you may have to sacrifice certain personal preferences.

GET SET

As stated earlier, while confidence can keep you going, before you take on the position of a leader its best to reflect on your abilities and understand your strengths and weaknesses. Set your priorities straight, and analyse your impediments. These could range from time constraints to domestic obligations. Evaluate yourself. It demands more work hours, more commitment, more domain knowledge, people management skills, time management skills, motivational skills, the ability to manage your personal life along with additional corporate responsibilities and the list just goes on! While its true that you will never know how cold the water is unless you get into it, it is important to know if the water is indeed cold oris it warm! warns Parekh as she winds up.

There is no attempt, however, to control the mind; the idea is to go beyond it. The mind is compared to a monkey drunk with the wine of desire, stung by the scorpion of jealousy and possessed with the demon of pride. Lust, greed, jealousy, anger, ego, tensions, reactions , grudges, depression, stress and strain are, however, the symptoms and not the disease.

The common misconception is that meditation is concentration of mind and various techniques are taught to achieve this. Meditation has got no technique. There are techniques for concentration. Concentration is a mental exercise between the mind and the object of attention. But meditation is neither a mental exercise nor a practice. Meditation is a direct and natural process beyond the mind itself. Meditation is not concentration; it is the mother of concentration.Remember, concentration is where one tries to control thoughts, where thoughts get dissolved naturally, enhancing your powers of concentration, memory, will, right thinking and fitness.

When your thought current is interrupted which means that all thoughts are fixed on one object it is concentration. But when the flow is uninterrupted, that is meditation. This is when the thought is not fixed on any one object, rather we just remain a non-doer and directly watch thoughts as a neutral energy without any judgment, analyzes, participation , visualisation, imagination, contemplation , suppression, repression, condemnation or concentration. Meditation is a non-doing entity where you are simply a seer, witness, you are an observer of the minds happenings. To watch is our true nature. It is a natural, nondoing state. No effort is required to watch. We all have full potential to look within directly as we all are blessed with the Third Eye .

Meditation is mind management. It is not forcing the mind to be quiet. It is to find the quiet that is there already. We are children of bliss. We suffer from stress and strain because we gave all the powers to the mind and made it our master. Not only that, we consider ourselves nothing but the mind. Mind is matter. It has no power of its own. It is useful in the external world but in the spiritual, internal world, it has to be overcome. Otherwise we will be the victims of mental and physical diseases. Meditation is seeing the mind as a witness, a neutral energy. It is not interfering with the intricacies and doings of mind. Just be a seer, be a witness. We just stay in our own source, in our true nature: All-bliss .

We are happy when the mind is cheerful. We are depressed when the mind is gloomy. We are at the mercy of the mind that waxes and wanes. We consider ourselves nothing but mind. It is blasphemy to consider ourselves as victims of an unforeseen incident when the unending Bliss is flowing within all of us. Meditation is mind management. Meditation is homecoming.

When something gets you down, do you wallow in the misery? Do you let yourself feel like crud? Or do you use it as an opportunity to look for the bright side of it and grow? Both are possible outcomes and both have a place. The important thing is to learn from the incident and move ahead.

When tragedy strikes I am not suggesting you ‘poo-poo’ it off. On the contrary, you should stay in the moment and grieve, feel your emotions, process your feelings. These are all necessary. But to stop there is a problem. Take some time to examine how you can learn from this and how you may prevent it from occurring in the future.

When you turn bad into good, you will feel awesome!

People sometimes mistake that suggestion, however, and think that probing questions about the company include “How much time will I get for lunch?” or “How many vacation days will I get per year?” While important to your choice in the long run, the answers to those questions will not get to the meat of the issue — whether the company is a good fit for you. Those types of questions also may give the interviewer a bad impression, so it’s best to save them until the point when you’re offered the job.

So what type of questions should you be asking? Here are a few:

What’s an average day like here? The question may prompt the interviewer to go into great detail about the day-to-day workings of the company, which is great information to have. But even if the answer is, “There’s no such thing as an average day here,” it’s useful information. If you like to know what you will be doing day in and day out and like the comfort of ritual, then you already have a hint that the environment might not be best for you.

How would you describe the culture here? The interviewer may answer that it’s pretty laid-back or it’s all business, or there’s a good mixture of gender and cultures. Of course, he may also lie through his teeth. But if you’re any good at reading people, even that might be valuable.

What qualities are you looking for in the person who fills this position? You’re looking for answers like “Someone who is good with details” or “Someone who can communicate technical issues to end-users,” etc. If the answer is “Someone who doesn’t mind doing without lunch on a regular basis or being on call every day of his life,” then you have some solid information on which to base your decision about the job. If the question prompts the answer, “Good hair and a winning smile,” get up and leave.

Final note: Don’t precede these questions with qualifiers. In other words, don’t say, “I’m a person who likes to be busy all the time. What’s an average day like here?” If you ask that way, you’re just giving the interviewer clues as to the answer you want to hear, which may not be the real truth. You want your questions to point to the company at which you’re interviewing and that don’t reflect on you or your personal opinions. That’s the best way to get objective answers.