Can professional life and personal life be apart? - The Enablers - Volume Issue 10 14 April 2011

Dear Friends,

Life is hard. And harder for pharmaceutical sales professionals! Especially since in our field, professional life and personal life cannot be truly detached. We field managers spend so much of our time at work and in travelling, that at times, it can be very difficult to keep our professional and private lives separate. We share our phone numbers with our subordinates, peers and superiors so they may contact us out of work hours. We have responsibilities towards our customer’s day-and-night. There are times when we need to contact them at a time convenient to them, but which is a part of our personal time. Can we afford not to do so? Professional time eats into our personal time, but is inevitable.

There is one school of thought which opines that professional life should not get in the way of personal life. Obviously they feel that that one person can have two life compartments one personal, another professional life and both are totally different. They even talk of a battle to keep the two separate.

Read Volume I, Issue X, April 2011 issue of the e-publication and share your views on this subject.

Vivek Hattangadi

14^th April 2011

Tel: 079-26601479 / 9376100041 

Can professional life and personal life be apart?

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any field managers are unable to balance personal and professional life. Can professional life and personal life be compartmentalized? We are human beings, and it is but natural that the personal and the professional elements in our lives blend and have a rub-off effect on each other.  There are moments when there are things about work we want to share with our spouse as she is the only person we can rely on. Our partner is the one with whom we communicate the most. So how can we not talk to them about our good or bad day in the field? How then professional life and personal life be apart?

We need to develop emotional maturity, and learn not to over-react to either personal or to work stressors. Otherwise, when things are tough, arduous and demanding on the personal front, our work suffers. The converse is equally true. Emotional maturity means controlling our emotions rather than letting our emotions get the upper hand.

There is one school of thought which feels that professional life and personal life can be screened-off. It is difficult, at least in our profession. Take the case of a medical representative who has taken to alcohol because of personal problems. He drinks at home, late into the nights, gets up the next morning, goes to work in an inebriated state. Neither does he do justice to his job nor to his company.

Another example is a first-line manager who is in the habit of eating ‘paan’, gutka, chewing tobacco, and has red colored saliva all over the face. He does this ‘off duty’. Will it be possible for him to keep this habit under control when ‘on duty’? Such people, over a period of time may also develop difficulty in speech and proper communication. Activities in personal life can have its toll on professional life!

Can I share with you the jottings from the personal diary of a first-line manager?

 “Had a very frustrating weekend! Saturday evening I kept on drinking while playing cards with friends. I woke up very late, almost at noon.  My wife and daughter were terribly upset. I could not spend quality time with them. Got a cruel hangover vertigo, right from the time I woke up, till the next morning. Gulped another peg in thinking it could get rid of this hangover. However, my condition worsened. I couldn’t move. I was getting a feeling that the room was spinning out of control.  I missed my meeting with my sales manager who was in town. He was upset too. I wonder what will happen to me now. What will ever happen to my wife and daughter if I am unable to get over this habit? My personal life is affecting my professional life. I have still not been able get over the nasty remarks made by my sales manager. What a horrible weekend and a repulsive way to start a new week. Oh God, please help me to be a true professional!”

What does it mean to be a true professional? He is a person "worthy of the high standards in his profession”. He is disciplined, competent, has a very high level of integrity and importantly, is perpetually discontent. He understands that his task is challenging, with high expectations of discernable standards. He knows that he must consistently do better - and must be dedicated to succeeding. He is an antithesis of those ordinary people who say: "My job is only a means to earn my livelihood. Just do the basics in order to keep boss off your back. Real life is outside the confines of my job."

A true professional is able to balance his personal and professional life as the two cannot be separated. Balance between the two is important for success. How do we achieve this? By striving to be a true professional!

A true professional makes every effort to be better than what we were before! We may even have to practise one of the most basic skills (like detailing techniques) in order to improve on it. Even at the peak of our career we should not be satisfied with our performance, but rather improve on it. Sachin Tendulkar is a living example of this. He exhibits the quality of every true professional - personal discontent. 

In other words, a First-line manager who is discontent, regardless of the degree of current success, is the surest indicator of a person on the move. Professionals keep themselves updated by always reading something which prompts them to grow and develop. They are not afraid to try something different, to stretch out of their comfort zones, understanding that the stretch, while it might be uncomfortable, will cause them to build additional capabilities.

Learning to bring together professional and personal life is a perfect way for the First-line manager to live life king size and be happy on both fronts! Give preference to both the P's and utilize the most exquisite gift of God to mankind, named LIFE. Work like professionals during work hours and like a good husband or a father or a son in our personal lives.

Quotes

The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them. Denis Watley

I feel that the most important step in any major accomplishment is setting a specific goal. This enables you to keep your mind focused on your goal and off the many obstacles that will arise when you’re striving to do your best. Kurt Thomas

The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goals to reach. Benjamin Mays

Do not wait; the time will never be “just right.” Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along. George Herbert

Books constitute capital. A library book lasts as long as a house, for hundreds of years. It is not, then, an article of mere consumption but fairly of capital, and often in the case of professional men, setting out in life, it is their only capital.

Feedback for Champions - The Enablers, Issue 1 Volume IX, March 2011

Dear Friends,

March-April, and the time for annual appraisals! A dreadful time for both; the appraisers, and the appraisees! 

Feedback and appraisals, when done well is a very powerful tool for the First-line manager. It motivates individuals by acknowledging their strengths and achievements. It gives them an opportunity on how their strengths can be strengthened 

An appraisal done badly is an irritating chore. It is a depressing and an unpleasant experience both for the appraiser and the appraisee. It can damage the working relations. It is not surprising that many people dread it - some even consider it as a necessary evil. 

Way back in 1980, when I was promoted as District Manager in Carter Wallace, the then General Manager Mr. P.C. Kapur had introduced a system of monthly appraisals and feedback. The District Manager appraised and gave appropriate feedback to the Medical Representative after every Joint Field Work. The feedback and appraisal was validated by both sides, the District Manager and the Medical Representative. Similarly, the Regional Manager appraised the District Manager periodically. He firmly believed that since feedback being a part of the appraisal system should be ongoing, specific, timely and relevant.  

It was a wonderful tool and my first introduction to the HRD systems. I am ever thankful to Mr. P.C. Kapur for this.

In this issue of ‘The Enablers’, we shall discuss the benefits of regular feedback. 

Vivek Hattangadi

079-26601479 / 937610041 

Feedback for Champions

In his book, ‘’The One Minute Manager’, Ken Blanchard has made a very powerful statement; he says: “Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions”.  Dr. Stephen R. Covey of ‘7 Habits’ fame says, “Feedback is your life-support system.”

Management gurus have established the importance of feedback, which is an essential component of appraisals. There are usually two dimensions to feedback – it can be either judgmental or developmental. In judgmental feedback, actual performance is measured against targeted performance and feedback is given. Feedback can be both, positive or negative. In developmental feedback, the medical representative can be evaluated for specific training needs to improve knowledge and skills.

For the feedback system to be effective there should be mutual trust. The medical representative should know that his First-line manager has his best interest at heart. Be specific, yet objective about what you, as a First-line manager, have observed about the medical representative. Your body language should reflect honesty. Only then he is likely to act on the feedback.

Correctly timed and a well delivered feedback is one of the best performance enhancers. Besides, it can build a culture of accountability. On the other hand, increased workplace tension and low productivity are just a few consequences that can stem from bad performance appraisals. 

Why do people dread feedback? One reason is that too often it is focused only on something that was not done well. Many First-line managers seem to have forgotten that there exists a positive side. Positive feedback should be seen as a part of the reward for doing something right. When people get rewarded for behaviors, they are very likely to repeat the successful behaviors. A simple concept, but generally overlooked. 

Performance feedback provides an opening for the First-line managers to assess, coach and reward their medical representative. Some may avoid giving feedback because of the fear of criticizing medical representatives. Medical representatives in turn may fear negative feedback for fear of being punished. Despite the risks, giving effective feedback has many benefits for both. 

Here are a few tips on how to give effective feedback, both positive and negative.

Start and conclude the feedback session on a positive note. Ending on a positive note sends the message that you are confident in the employee's abilities to achieve success. It is always very easy to find the negatives, but do not skip the positives.   At the end of a negative feedback, make sure to reaffirm your trust and faith in the medical representatives. This will make future feedback sessions true coaching sessions.

Give constructive feedback. Constructive feedback is information-specific, issue-focused, and is based on observations. The manner of giving feedback is equally important. Be direct in giving feedback instead of beating round the bush. Take care of your tone of voice, facial expressions and eye contact while giving feedback. Avoid sarcasm.

Let the feedback system be a catalyst for improved performance.  Feedback should provide more than just a critique of the quality and quantity of work. The medical representative should know that you are genuinely interested in him. Feedback should be perceived as coaching process. Let your feedback provoke thoughts, ideas and new insights.

Make feedback not a once-a-year event but a routine priority. Make more frequent feedback happen – preferably after every joint field work. Let your medical representatives know on a regular basis how they are doing. When something goes wrong, let them know right away. And equally important, when something goes right, give your employees praise immediately. A little recognition goes a long, long way! When feedback is given well after the fact, the value of the constructive feedback is lessened.

After feedback, work out SMART corrective action plans. Each action plan should have a SMART goal i.e. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound.  SMART goals are easier to manage accountability.

Feedback provides the grist on which a medical representative can choose to take self-corrective action. Finally, another golden sentence from Ken Blanchard: “People who feel good about themselves produce good results; people who produce good results feel good about themselves.”  This is all based on feedback.  How do you get better if you are not receiving good quality, timely feedback?

Skipping breakfast is not a good idea even when you are in a hurry. Studies show the benefits of eating a breakfast on our health.  And it is certainly not worthwhile skipping the ‘Breakfast of Champions’, whatever is the exigency.  

Mind Exercise

1.   How often do you give feedback now and how frequently would you like to give it henceforth?

2.   Do you agree that whatever the exigency, you should not skip the ‘Breakfast of Champions’?

3.   What steps will you take to ensure that feedback and appraisals are not dreadful events anymore?

Quotable quotes

Negative feedback is better that none. I would rather have a man hate me than overlook me. As long as he hates me I make a difference. – Hugh Prather

Feedback opens your eyes. - Vadim Kotelnikov

The more feedback you give to people, the better it is, as long as the feedback is objective and not critical. – Brian Tracy