Unlearning helps at work

Unlearning practices associated with an old workplace is just as good as picking up new ones to impact a company's productivity, according to new research.

“Unlearning” implies discarding prior knowledge to make room for new information that would be useful when applied to major change affecting such an organisation.

Karen Becker of Queensland University of Technology has been studying unlearning and said it was an important, but often overlooked, way of dealing with workplace changes.

“I came from 12 years in business with a lot of involvement in change management -- there was always resistance around change and people are often not willing to relinquish past practices, so I was always looking for ways to minimise this and make transitions easier,” she said.

“When I came across the term unlearning, I pinned my research on exploring this concept further. I found that it's still not a widely used term, but it is an important and effective way of dealing with change in an organisation.”

Two of the cases Becker studied were the installation of a new computer system in a corporation, and a change in safety procedures in a heavy industry setting.

She said she found the most important thing was recognising that to make new processes effective, older ones needed to let go.

“It is about having people acknowledging previous habits and recognising that though they may be ingrained, they may not be the best way, and to accept that change is coming and be open to it,” she said.

She said assisting employees to unlearn past practices could mean changes were accepted more easily, and this would increase the productivity of an organisation by minimising the stumbling blocks that usually came when there was a change in systems.

Obese workers not lazier, says new study

A Michigan State University study demolishes negative stereotypes about obese workers

Washington: Obese workers are not lazier, emotionally unstable and harder to get along with than their thinner colleagues, says a new study that demolishes some of the stereotypes about such people.

Overweight and obese adults were not found to be significantly less conscientious, less agreeable, less extraverted or less emotionally stable.

Mark Roehling, associate professor in Michigan State University, and two of his colleagues based the study on the relationship between body weight and personality traits of 3,500 adults.

"Previous research has demonstrated that many employers hold negative stereotypes about obese workers, and those beliefs contribute to discrimination against overweight workers at virtually. . . from hiring to promotion to firing," Roehling said.

"This study goes a step further by examining whether there is empirical support for these commonly held negative stereotypes. Are they based on fact or fiction? Our results suggest that the answer is fiction."

The findings are based on two separate but convergent national studies. Roehling, who's also a lawyer, said the practical implication of the research is that employers should take steps to prevent managers from using weight as a predicator of personality traits when it comes to hiring, promoting or firing.

"Employers concerned about the fair and effective management of their work force," Roehling said, "should be proactive in preventing negative stereotypes about overweight workers from influencing employment decisions."

The research appeared in the current edition of Group & Organization Management.

Salary top reason why employees quit

The study found 70 percent of the best employers see a large connection between improved performance and higher salaries. Read on

Singapore: The top reason why employees in Asia quit is unhappiness with their pay, a study by a human resources firm said Saturday.

It found 70 percent of the best employers see a large connection between improved performance and higher salaries.

While Asian employers have "increased investment" in compensation, they are not yet getting the "strategic and financial results", The Business Times quoted Hewitt Associates principal Nishchae Suri as saying.

In China, 71 percent of employees are unhappy with their pay, 51 percent are unsatisfied in Hong Kong, 44 percent in India, 73 percent in Japan and 42 percent in Singapore, the published survey said.

Dissatisfaction with compensation averages 54 percent for Asia as a whole amid the battle for talent.

Pay must not only be fair, but seen to be fair in terms of the job and compared to the pay of other employees, Suri said, noting employers in Asia are generally doing a bad job at this.

Poor communications on the part of employers is the main problem, particularly with the new breed of talent seeking to switch jobs more often and becoming increasingly competitive.

Know when to quit your job

Working in an organisation that is going through crisis? Can’t decide between staying or leaving the job? Well, don’t fret, for here are some tips which can help you decide whether to stay or go from the company.

According to Will Werhane, global managing director at the human resources consulting firm Hay Group, look around to see if your most talented colleagues are heading for the exit sign.

That's a pretty good indication that those among the most vested in the organisation are worried and don't think it's worth staying, Will said.

"When the people who are the future of the organisation are leaving, that's a sign that company isn't doing well," News.com.au quoted him, as saying.

"It doesn't mean you should run out the door--it means (you should) examine other elements,” he added.

First, don't pay attention to rumours. Thoroughly research the state of your company as if you were investing money into it. Pay particular attention to how your organisation stacks up against the rest of the industry. One fiscal quarter of bad earnings does not spell catastrophe.

Don't rely on gossip, says a management author.

"There's a difference between a bad quarter and a troubling trend," says John Pearson, president of the management consulting firm John Pearson and author of Mastering the Management Buckets: 20 Critical Competencies for Leading Your Business or Nonprofit.

"When you hear disappointing news about your company, get the official and credible explanation of what's happening,” he said.

If you don't work for a public company, find out how others in the industry are doing by talking to people you know at competing companies, John said.

He added: Ask those contacts how sales are and whether they're laying anyone off. If that route proves a bust, ask head hunters; they''re a wealth of information about the companies they cover.

24 Things to Always Remember

1. Your presence is a present to the world.
2. You're unique and one of a kind.
3. Your life can be what you want it to be.
4. Take the days just one at a time.
5. Count your blessings, not your troubles.
6. You'll make it through whatever comes along.
7. Within you are so many answers.
8. Understand, have courage, be strong.
9. Don't put limits on yourself.
10. So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
11. Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
12. Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize.
13. Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
14. The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.
15. Don't take things too seriously.
16. Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.
17. Remember that a little love goes a long way.
18. Remember that a lot . . . goes forever.
19. Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
20. Life's treasures are people . . . together.
21. Realize that it's never too late.
22. Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
23. Have health and hope and happiness.
24. Take the time to wish upon a star.

Def to Lib - VC++ Tips

Def to Lib

Ever had use a third party library and found that the import libraries (.lib) are missing but the export file (.def) is available?

Here is the way to get it.

Use the utility called 'lib.exe', which exists in the following directory:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\Bin

The syntax is:
lib.exe /def:exports.def
This will generate your import library (.lib): exports.lib

There is one 'gotcha'; lib.exe requires a dll called MSPDB60.dll. This library appears to missing from the default VC install. However it appears in the following location:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\COMMON\MSDev98\Bin

Just copy it to the VC98 bin directory and you are all set.

You would think a command like lib /def: is easy to remember; but it isnt.

Managing Stress

Habits That Help You Manage Your Stress

Today we have more stress in our lives than ever before – good stress, bad stress, red stress, blue stress . No matter what kind of stress it is, a real crisis or an imagined one, stress is incredibly harmful to our body, mind and soul. Here are a few self-care habits for dealing with stress

1. Get in the habit of noticing.
Take an inventory of all the things that just don't feel right in your life or that you know are causing you stress. For example, when you approach certain people, places or situations do you feel more stress and tension? Once you have your list in place, look at what you can change yourself, and do it. You can also use this list to predict stressful situations before they occur.

2. Get in the habit of asking for help.
For what you can't change yourself, you need a team. Build a team of experts to handle your list. A coach, at the top of the list, will help with the big picture and will keep you honest about your efforts. Other team members might be a family doctor who listens to you, a financial planner, a massage therapist and an exercise partner.

3. Get in the habit of bouncing back.
Think of Plan A as your basic self-care plan while stress is under control. Now imagine something happens and you are under stress. Instead of abandoning all self-care because you can't do it all, have a Plan B ready beforehand.

4. Get in the habit of relaxing.
If you practice relaxation techniques (breathing, meditation, imagery, music) every day, then when stressful situations come up you'll have the tools at your fingertips.

5. Get in the habit of gratitude.
Our attitude comes from our emotions and our emotions come from our thoughts. Thinking about what we're grateful for and what we're good at can keep things positive. It's not about shying away from what's challenging you - it's about approaching life from a place of strength and not as a victim.

6. Get in the habit of creating.
Experiment with a new recipe in the kitchen, write a poem, bang a drum, do a craft, take a dance class or do something else that feels creative to you.

7. Get in the habit of putting your stuff away.
Physical clutter can really impact mental, emotional and physical health. Get rid of things that don't make you happy when you look at them. Organize your stuff. Find a place for everything and keep it there.

8. Get in the habit of breathing.
This is the simplest and quickest way to relax yourself in a stressful situation. The minute you focus on your breathing it automatically gets slower and deeper.

9. Get in the habit of daydreaming.
Take yourself away on an imaginary holiday. Just close your eyes and go! Picture somewhere you've been or somewhere you've dreamed of.

10. Get in the habit of giggling. Laugh out loud every day.