Monday, December 4, 2017
KAABAH REFUSES TO MOVE by: Tuan Guru Hj Mohd Baqi Osman (MBO)
1. One of the interesting lectures presented by MBO is related to the As Sirat Bridge.
2. The bridge that spans the hell to heaven is flexible. It can grow, shrink, shorten and extend according to the group that will pass through it. If the believer is, it will certainly widen and shorten. As for the infidels, it will diminish and extend.
3. Among those who will also move towards heaven is KAABAH.
4. The MALAIKAT came to bring Allah SWT command to the beautifully decorated KAABAH that day to move towards heaven.
5. Surprisingly, though the KAABAH knew that is ALLAH SWT command, KAABAH still refused to move.
6. Then the MALAIKAT asked why KAABAH refused to move to heaven.
7. The KAABAH replied that it would not move to heaven unless it was accompanied by all the people who had circumambulator (TAWAF) around KAABAH during perform their disciplines in UMRAH & HAJJ.
8. Then the MALAIKAT collect all those who have been TAWAF previously to accompany the KAABAH to heaven.
9. The KAABAH kept silent about not moving.
10. The MALAIKAT asked again why KAABAH did not want to move.
11. KAABAH replied, there are some people who are not present.
12. When examined, the people concerned were thrown into hell for the wrongdoing they had committed in the world.
13. The MALAIKAT informed KAABAH that the person was sinful and had to be tortured in hell.
14. The KAABAH says it does not matter whether the person is guilty or not.
15. What is important is that KAABAH will not move to heaven until be accompanied by all those who have TAWAF around him previously.
16. MALAIKAT had reported to ALLAH SWT about the phenomenon and situation.
17. ALLAH SWT The Most Forgiving and Merciful continues to declare that those people have been forgiven of their sins.
18. They were then brought out of hell and accompanied the KAABAH to heaven.
.... Wallahu a'lam bis sawab....
MKR
Friday, October 27, 2017
HASHIMOTO'S THYROIDITIS
A) HASHIMOTO’S THYROIDITIS (Lymphocytic Thyroiditis)
1. The term “Thyroiditis” refers to “inflammation of the thyroid gland”.
2. There are many possible causes of thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is the most common cause of hypothyroidism.
3. It is an autoimmune disorder in which antibodies directed against the thyroid gland lead to chronic inflammation.
4. It is not known why some people make antibodies, although this condition tends to run in families.
5. Over time, however, this results in impaired ability of the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones, leading to gradual decline in function and eventually an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
6. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis occurs most commonly in middle aged women, but can be seen at any age, and can also affect men, and children.
B) WHAT IS THE THYROID GLAND?
1. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland that is normally located in the lower front of the neck.
2. The thyroid’s job is to make thyroid hormones, which are secreted into the blood and then carried to every tissue in the body.
3. Thyroid hormone helps the body use energy, stay warm and keep the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs working as they should.
C) WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HASHIMOTO’S THYROIDITIS?
1. There are no signs or symptoms that are unique to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
2. Because the condition usually progresses very slowly over many years, people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may not have any symptoms early on, even when the characteristic TPO (thyroid peroxidase) antibodies may be detected in blood tests.
3. TPO is an enzyme that plays a role in the production of thyroid hormones.
4. However, over time, thyroiditis causes slow and chronic cell damage leading to the development of goitre (enlarged thyroid) with gradual thyroid failure, and most patients will eventually develop symptoms of hypothyroidism.
5. Hypothyroid symptoms may include fatigue, weight gain, constipation, increased sensitivity to cold, dry skin, depression, muscle aches and reduced exercise tolerance, and irregular or heavy menses.
D) HOW IS THE DIAGNOSIS OF HASHIMOTO'S THYROIDITIS MADE?
1. The diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is often made when patients present with symptoms of hypothyroidism, often accompanied by the finding of a goitre (an enlarged thyroid gland) on physical examination, and laboratory tests consistent with hypothyroidism, an elevated serum TSH with low thyroid hormone (Free thyroxin) levels.
2. Antibodies against TPO, when measured, are usually elevated.
3. Occasionally, the disease may be diagnosed early on, especially in people with a strong family history of thyroid disease, during routine laboratory screening, even before the patient develops symptoms of hypothyroidism.
4. In these cases, often isolated mild elevation of serum TSH is seen, with normal levels of thyroid hormones and positive TPO antibodies.
E) HOW IS HASHIMOTO THYROIDITIS TREATED?
1. Patients with elevated TPO antibodies but normal thyroid function tests (TSH and Free thyroxin) do not require treatment.
2. For those patients with overt hypothyroidism (elevated TSH and low thyroid hormone levels) treatment consists of thyroid hormone replacement Synthetic levothyroxine taken orally at an appropriate dose is inexpensive, very effective in restoring normal thyroid hormone levels and results in improvement of symptoms of hypothyroidism.
3. Most patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis will require lifelong treatment with levothyroxine.
4. Finding the appropriate dose, particularly at the beginning may require testing with TSH every 6-8 weeks after any dose adjustment, until the correct dose is determined.
5. After that, monitoring of TSH once a year is generally sufficient.
6. When levothyroxine is taken in the appropriate dose, it has no side effects.
7. However, when an insufficient dose is taken, serum TSH remains elevated and patients may have persistent symptoms of hypothyroidism.
8. If the dose is excessive, serum TSH will become suppressed and patients may develop symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
SHARED BY: MKR
1. The term “Thyroiditis” refers to “inflammation of the thyroid gland”.
2. There are many possible causes of thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, is the most common cause of hypothyroidism.
3. It is an autoimmune disorder in which antibodies directed against the thyroid gland lead to chronic inflammation.
4. It is not known why some people make antibodies, although this condition tends to run in families.
5. Over time, however, this results in impaired ability of the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones, leading to gradual decline in function and eventually an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).
6. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis occurs most commonly in middle aged women, but can be seen at any age, and can also affect men, and children.
B) WHAT IS THE THYROID GLAND?
1. The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland that is normally located in the lower front of the neck.
2. The thyroid’s job is to make thyroid hormones, which are secreted into the blood and then carried to every tissue in the body.
3. Thyroid hormone helps the body use energy, stay warm and keep the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs working as they should.
C) WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HASHIMOTO’S THYROIDITIS?
1. There are no signs or symptoms that are unique to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
2. Because the condition usually progresses very slowly over many years, people with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis may not have any symptoms early on, even when the characteristic TPO (thyroid peroxidase) antibodies may be detected in blood tests.
3. TPO is an enzyme that plays a role in the production of thyroid hormones.
4. However, over time, thyroiditis causes slow and chronic cell damage leading to the development of goitre (enlarged thyroid) with gradual thyroid failure, and most patients will eventually develop symptoms of hypothyroidism.
5. Hypothyroid symptoms may include fatigue, weight gain, constipation, increased sensitivity to cold, dry skin, depression, muscle aches and reduced exercise tolerance, and irregular or heavy menses.
D) HOW IS THE DIAGNOSIS OF HASHIMOTO'S THYROIDITIS MADE?
1. The diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is often made when patients present with symptoms of hypothyroidism, often accompanied by the finding of a goitre (an enlarged thyroid gland) on physical examination, and laboratory tests consistent with hypothyroidism, an elevated serum TSH with low thyroid hormone (Free thyroxin) levels.
2. Antibodies against TPO, when measured, are usually elevated.
3. Occasionally, the disease may be diagnosed early on, especially in people with a strong family history of thyroid disease, during routine laboratory screening, even before the patient develops symptoms of hypothyroidism.
4. In these cases, often isolated mild elevation of serum TSH is seen, with normal levels of thyroid hormones and positive TPO antibodies.
E) HOW IS HASHIMOTO THYROIDITIS TREATED?
1. Patients with elevated TPO antibodies but normal thyroid function tests (TSH and Free thyroxin) do not require treatment.
2. For those patients with overt hypothyroidism (elevated TSH and low thyroid hormone levels) treatment consists of thyroid hormone replacement Synthetic levothyroxine taken orally at an appropriate dose is inexpensive, very effective in restoring normal thyroid hormone levels and results in improvement of symptoms of hypothyroidism.
3. Most patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis will require lifelong treatment with levothyroxine.
4. Finding the appropriate dose, particularly at the beginning may require testing with TSH every 6-8 weeks after any dose adjustment, until the correct dose is determined.
5. After that, monitoring of TSH once a year is generally sufficient.
6. When levothyroxine is taken in the appropriate dose, it has no side effects.
7. However, when an insufficient dose is taken, serum TSH remains elevated and patients may have persistent symptoms of hypothyroidism.
8. If the dose is excessive, serum TSH will become suppressed and patients may develop symptoms of hyperthyroidism.
SHARED BY: MKR
TRAINING NEEDS IDENTIFICATION (TNI)
1. Any company delving into training and development of its workforce should first learn how to properly identify and assess training needs.
2. This is the single most important thing that helps executives to address the gaps between the existing training and training which will be required in the future.
3. Here’s a brief overview of three different needs managers should look at and three assessment methods for identifying key training needs at any organization.
A) Industry-related needs:
i) Those are quite simple, but it can still be challenging to narrow them down when formulating your training program.
ii) There surely exist certain pieces of industry knowledge that employees should have.
iii) This need essentially derives from how the organization fits into the industry.
iv) For example, an operation group which creates parts for high-tech appliances may require the knowledge about where those parts go, what kind of appliances they structure, and how the operation of those appliances coordinated by other companies affects the industry as a whole.
v) When assessing this need, know how to differentiate what needs to be known from what would be nice to know.
B) Job-related needs
i. Job related needs is those that relate directly to jobs which are part of the organization.
ii. How to look for job-related needs?
iii. By researching whether there’s training available for certain jobs. If not, organizations might create a complete training program for a job.
iv. The purpose of job-related needs is to improve the final output of the job itself.
v. It can be building an error-free part for a technological appliance or a completed call with a customer.
vi. The key is to identify which aspects of the job belong to executive positions and which ones are related to on-the-job training.
C) Task-related needs
i. A task-related need usually comes in the form of a requirement in a particular part or output within a job or Job Scope.
ii. Just consider – it’s a combination of different tasks and processes that create your job on a daily to yearly basis.
iii. Sometimes one or more aspects of a job aren’t working and affect the overall productivity of a worker.
iv. Consider this example – a customer service representative performs well in sales and customer satisfaction, but when it comes to data inputs into the CRM system, they’re pretty hopeless.
v. This problem might affect contact with the customers or even the number of closed sales.
4. Assessment methods
4.1 Organisational perspective:
i. This kind of assessment is focused on the effectiveness of the enterprise as a whole.
ii. It aims to identify any discrepancies, revealing the knowledge and skills required to bridge gaps.
iii. Organizational assessments analyse factors like the economy, new environmental policies and changing workforce demographics.
iv. These assessments determine which parts of the organization require training and whether it will fill the gaps when implemented.
4.2 Task-related perspective:
i. Task assessments compile information about a particular job function.
ii. It’s an analysis that identifies key tasks, competencies and skills that are required to perform the job efficiently.
iii. It’s based on detailed job descriptions, skill analyses and inventory questionnaires which are how key training needs can be pinpointed.
iv. Enterprises undergoing restructuring or taking on a new direction can greatly benefit from this assessment.
v. It basically determines whether there are any gaps between existing competencies and those required for improved performance.
4.3 Individual assessment:
i. The individual assessment looks at particular employees to discover their level of performance.
ii. This analysis identifies the existing skills and qualifications, as well as capacity for learning. Individual assessment will show who needs training and what kind of training is needed most.
iii. It uncovers the strengths of employees and areas for competency improvement.
iv. Focus on each kind of training need before moving forward and determining the best course of action for the enterprise.
v. Each assessment will help you improve different aspects of the organization and build specific training programs to address important gaps and boost the effectiveness of the company.
Shared by: MKR
2. This is the single most important thing that helps executives to address the gaps between the existing training and training which will be required in the future.
3. Here’s a brief overview of three different needs managers should look at and three assessment methods for identifying key training needs at any organization.
A) Industry-related needs:
i) Those are quite simple, but it can still be challenging to narrow them down when formulating your training program.
ii) There surely exist certain pieces of industry knowledge that employees should have.
iii) This need essentially derives from how the organization fits into the industry.
iv) For example, an operation group which creates parts for high-tech appliances may require the knowledge about where those parts go, what kind of appliances they structure, and how the operation of those appliances coordinated by other companies affects the industry as a whole.
v) When assessing this need, know how to differentiate what needs to be known from what would be nice to know.
B) Job-related needs
i. Job related needs is those that relate directly to jobs which are part of the organization.
ii. How to look for job-related needs?
iii. By researching whether there’s training available for certain jobs. If not, organizations might create a complete training program for a job.
iv. The purpose of job-related needs is to improve the final output of the job itself.
v. It can be building an error-free part for a technological appliance or a completed call with a customer.
vi. The key is to identify which aspects of the job belong to executive positions and which ones are related to on-the-job training.
C) Task-related needs
i. A task-related need usually comes in the form of a requirement in a particular part or output within a job or Job Scope.
ii. Just consider – it’s a combination of different tasks and processes that create your job on a daily to yearly basis.
iii. Sometimes one or more aspects of a job aren’t working and affect the overall productivity of a worker.
iv. Consider this example – a customer service representative performs well in sales and customer satisfaction, but when it comes to data inputs into the CRM system, they’re pretty hopeless.
v. This problem might affect contact with the customers or even the number of closed sales.
4. Assessment methods
4.1 Organisational perspective:
i. This kind of assessment is focused on the effectiveness of the enterprise as a whole.
ii. It aims to identify any discrepancies, revealing the knowledge and skills required to bridge gaps.
iii. Organizational assessments analyse factors like the economy, new environmental policies and changing workforce demographics.
iv. These assessments determine which parts of the organization require training and whether it will fill the gaps when implemented.
4.2 Task-related perspective:
i. Task assessments compile information about a particular job function.
ii. It’s an analysis that identifies key tasks, competencies and skills that are required to perform the job efficiently.
iii. It’s based on detailed job descriptions, skill analyses and inventory questionnaires which are how key training needs can be pinpointed.
iv. Enterprises undergoing restructuring or taking on a new direction can greatly benefit from this assessment.
v. It basically determines whether there are any gaps between existing competencies and those required for improved performance.
4.3 Individual assessment:
i. The individual assessment looks at particular employees to discover their level of performance.
ii. This analysis identifies the existing skills and qualifications, as well as capacity for learning. Individual assessment will show who needs training and what kind of training is needed most.
iii. It uncovers the strengths of employees and areas for competency improvement.
iv. Focus on each kind of training need before moving forward and determining the best course of action for the enterprise.
v. Each assessment will help you improve different aspects of the organization and build specific training programs to address important gaps and boost the effectiveness of the company.
Shared by: MKR
Friday, September 8, 2017
THE DIFFERENCES OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT VS CHANGE LEADERSHIP
1. We often asked about the difference between “change management” and “change leadership,” and whether it’s just a matter of semantics. These terms are not interchangeable.
2. The distinction between the two is actually quite significant. Change management, which is the term most everyone uses, refers to a set of basic tools or structures intended to keep any change effort under control.
3. The goal is often to minimize the distractions and impacts of the change. Change leadership, on the other hand, concerns the driving forces, visions and processes that fuel large-scale transformation.
4. There is a difference that is very fundamental, and it’s very big, between what is known today as “change management” and what we have been calling for some time “change leadership.”
5. The world basically uses change management, which is a set of processes and a set of tools and a set of mechanisms that are designed to make sure that when you do try to make some changes, A, it doesn’t get out of control, and B, the number of problems associated with it—you know, rebellion among the ranks, bleeding of cash that you can’t afford–doesn’t happen.
6. So it is a way of making a big change and keeping it, in a sense, under control. Change leadership is much more associated with putting an engine on the whole change process, and making it go faster, smarter, more efficiently. It’s more associated, therefore, with large scale changes.
7. Change management tends to be more associated—at least, when it works well—with smaller changes.
8. If we look around the world right now and just talk to people, it’s not just semantics. Everybody talks about managing change and change management, because that’s what they do.
9. If you look at all of the tools, they’re trying to push things along, but it’s trying to minimize disruptions, i.e., keep things under control. It’s trying to make sure change is done efficiently in the sense of you don’t go over budget—another control piece.
10. It’s done with little change management groups inside corporations, sometimes external consultants that are good at that, training in change management.
11. It’s done with task forces that are basically given the whole goal of push this thing along, but keep it under control.
12. It’s done with various kinds of relationships that are given names like “executive sponsors,” where the executive sponsor watches over this thing to make sure that it proceeds in an orderly way.
13. And change leadership is just fundamentally different—it’s an engine. It’s more about urgency. It’s more about masses of people who want to make something happen. It’s more about big visions.
14. It’s more about empowering lots and lots of people. Change leadership has the potential to get things a little bit out of control.
15. We don’t have the same degree of making sure that everything happens in a way we want at a time we want when we have the 1,000 horsepower engine.
16. What we want to do, of course, is have a highly skilled driver and a heck of a car, which will make sure our risks are nearly minimum. But it is fundamentally different.
17. The world, as we all know right now, talks about, thinks about, and does change management.
18. The world, as we all know, doesn’t do much change leadership, since change leadership is associated with the bigger leaps that we have to make, associated with windows of opportunity that are coming at us faster, staying open less time, bigger hazards and bullets coming at us faster, so you really have to make a larger leap at a faster speed.
19. Change leadership is going to be the big challenge in the future, and the fact that almost nobody is very good at it is—well, it’s obviously a big deal.
NOTES BY: JOHN KOTTER.
MKR
2. The distinction between the two is actually quite significant. Change management, which is the term most everyone uses, refers to a set of basic tools or structures intended to keep any change effort under control.
3. The goal is often to minimize the distractions and impacts of the change. Change leadership, on the other hand, concerns the driving forces, visions and processes that fuel large-scale transformation.
4. There is a difference that is very fundamental, and it’s very big, between what is known today as “change management” and what we have been calling for some time “change leadership.”
5. The world basically uses change management, which is a set of processes and a set of tools and a set of mechanisms that are designed to make sure that when you do try to make some changes, A, it doesn’t get out of control, and B, the number of problems associated with it—you know, rebellion among the ranks, bleeding of cash that you can’t afford–doesn’t happen.
6. So it is a way of making a big change and keeping it, in a sense, under control. Change leadership is much more associated with putting an engine on the whole change process, and making it go faster, smarter, more efficiently. It’s more associated, therefore, with large scale changes.
7. Change management tends to be more associated—at least, when it works well—with smaller changes.
8. If we look around the world right now and just talk to people, it’s not just semantics. Everybody talks about managing change and change management, because that’s what they do.
9. If you look at all of the tools, they’re trying to push things along, but it’s trying to minimize disruptions, i.e., keep things under control. It’s trying to make sure change is done efficiently in the sense of you don’t go over budget—another control piece.
10. It’s done with little change management groups inside corporations, sometimes external consultants that are good at that, training in change management.
11. It’s done with task forces that are basically given the whole goal of push this thing along, but keep it under control.
12. It’s done with various kinds of relationships that are given names like “executive sponsors,” where the executive sponsor watches over this thing to make sure that it proceeds in an orderly way.
13. And change leadership is just fundamentally different—it’s an engine. It’s more about urgency. It’s more about masses of people who want to make something happen. It’s more about big visions.
14. It’s more about empowering lots and lots of people. Change leadership has the potential to get things a little bit out of control.
15. We don’t have the same degree of making sure that everything happens in a way we want at a time we want when we have the 1,000 horsepower engine.
16. What we want to do, of course, is have a highly skilled driver and a heck of a car, which will make sure our risks are nearly minimum. But it is fundamentally different.
17. The world, as we all know right now, talks about, thinks about, and does change management.
18. The world, as we all know, doesn’t do much change leadership, since change leadership is associated with the bigger leaps that we have to make, associated with windows of opportunity that are coming at us faster, staying open less time, bigger hazards and bullets coming at us faster, so you really have to make a larger leap at a faster speed.
19. Change leadership is going to be the big challenge in the future, and the fact that almost nobody is very good at it is—well, it’s obviously a big deal.
NOTES BY: JOHN KOTTER.
MKR
WHAT IS TIME MANAGEMENT
Time Management Definition:
1. “Time management” is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities. Good time management enables you to work smarter – not harder – so that you get more done in less time, even when time is tight and pressures are high. Fail to manage your time will damages your effectiveness and causes stress.
2. It seems that there is never enough time in the day. But, since we all get the same 24 hours, why is it that some people achieve so much more with their time than others? The answer lies in good time management.
3. The highest achievers manage their time exceptionally well. By using the time-management techniques in this section, you can improve your ability to function more effectively – even when time is tight and pressures are high.
4. Good time management requires an important shift in focus from activities to results: being busy isn’t the same as being effective. (Ironically, the opposite is often closer to the truth.)
5. Spending your day in a frenzy of activity often achieves less, because you’re dividing your attention between so many different tasks. Good time management lets you work smarter – not harder – so you get more done in less time.
What Is “Time Management?”
1. “Time management” refers to the way that you organize and plan how long you spend on specific activities.
2. It may seem counter-intuitive to dedicate precious time to learning about time management, instead of using it to get on with your work, but the benefits are enormous:
a) Greater productivity and efficiency.
b) A better professional reputation.
c) Less stress.
d) Increased opportunities for advancement.
e) Greater opportunities to achieve important life and career goals.
3. Failing to manage your time effectively can have some very undesirable consequences:
a) Missed deadlines.
b) Inefficient work flow.
c) Poor work quality.
d) A poor professional reputation and a stalled career.
e) Higher stress levels.
Spending a little time learning about time-management techniques will have huge benefits now – and throughout your career.
MKR
1. “Time management” is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities. Good time management enables you to work smarter – not harder – so that you get more done in less time, even when time is tight and pressures are high. Fail to manage your time will damages your effectiveness and causes stress.
2. It seems that there is never enough time in the day. But, since we all get the same 24 hours, why is it that some people achieve so much more with their time than others? The answer lies in good time management.
3. The highest achievers manage their time exceptionally well. By using the time-management techniques in this section, you can improve your ability to function more effectively – even when time is tight and pressures are high.
4. Good time management requires an important shift in focus from activities to results: being busy isn’t the same as being effective. (Ironically, the opposite is often closer to the truth.)
5. Spending your day in a frenzy of activity often achieves less, because you’re dividing your attention between so many different tasks. Good time management lets you work smarter – not harder – so you get more done in less time.
What Is “Time Management?”
1. “Time management” refers to the way that you organize and plan how long you spend on specific activities.
2. It may seem counter-intuitive to dedicate precious time to learning about time management, instead of using it to get on with your work, but the benefits are enormous:
a) Greater productivity and efficiency.
b) A better professional reputation.
c) Less stress.
d) Increased opportunities for advancement.
e) Greater opportunities to achieve important life and career goals.
3. Failing to manage your time effectively can have some very undesirable consequences:
a) Missed deadlines.
b) Inefficient work flow.
c) Poor work quality.
d) A poor professional reputation and a stalled career.
e) Higher stress levels.
Spending a little time learning about time-management techniques will have huge benefits now – and throughout your career.
MKR
TASK CHECKING LIST
TASK CHECKING LIST
1. When tasks have multiple components, it can be challenging to track what has been completed versus what is still in progress, especially when different segments must be completed by different people.
2. To help you make these tasks more structured and easier to track, Write added a new, useful feature.
3. Now you can further break down your tasks into to-do lists or step-by-step instructions with the help of checklists in your task description.
4. To take advantage of checklists, look at your task description column or segment.
5. This feature will add another level of depth to keep your tasks organised and clear.
6. When listing the task's components in the description, it's up to you to order your list to suit your preference, whether that be by due date, assignee's, importance, or simply as ideas come to mind. Once a component is completed and you check its box, the item turns grey to fade out of focus. With checklists, all collaborators can easily see what has been finished and what needs to be done before the entire task is completed.
7. One of the cool things about the checklists is that they can help you avoid confusing scenarios when a task is assigned to several employees.
8. Before On the Job Training (OJT), one staff would mark an entire task as completed when only his or her individual contribution was done.
9. Now, when you create one task and assign that task to five different people, add a checklist to your task description for clearer workload distribution.
10. Use this feature and kindly remind John to go to the checklist within the task to indicate that he has finished only his portion.
11. When everyone has checked off their separate line items, the last contributor or task author knows to mark the entire task as completed.
12. Have you heard of small wins? Psychologists say that completing several smaller tasks one after another has a powerful motivating effect when you're in the middle of a large assignment. See how that works for you and your team with the new feature!
13. And for additional benefit, we hope checklists can serve as your convenient alternative while we continue working hard to bring subtasks to your workspace.
MKR
1. When tasks have multiple components, it can be challenging to track what has been completed versus what is still in progress, especially when different segments must be completed by different people.
2. To help you make these tasks more structured and easier to track, Write added a new, useful feature.
3. Now you can further break down your tasks into to-do lists or step-by-step instructions with the help of checklists in your task description.
4. To take advantage of checklists, look at your task description column or segment.
5. This feature will add another level of depth to keep your tasks organised and clear.
6. When listing the task's components in the description, it's up to you to order your list to suit your preference, whether that be by due date, assignee's, importance, or simply as ideas come to mind. Once a component is completed and you check its box, the item turns grey to fade out of focus. With checklists, all collaborators can easily see what has been finished and what needs to be done before the entire task is completed.
7. One of the cool things about the checklists is that they can help you avoid confusing scenarios when a task is assigned to several employees.
8. Before On the Job Training (OJT), one staff would mark an entire task as completed when only his or her individual contribution was done.
9. Now, when you create one task and assign that task to five different people, add a checklist to your task description for clearer workload distribution.
10. Use this feature and kindly remind John to go to the checklist within the task to indicate that he has finished only his portion.
11. When everyone has checked off their separate line items, the last contributor or task author knows to mark the entire task as completed.
12. Have you heard of small wins? Psychologists say that completing several smaller tasks one after another has a powerful motivating effect when you're in the middle of a large assignment. See how that works for you and your team with the new feature!
13. And for additional benefit, we hope checklists can serve as your convenient alternative while we continue working hard to bring subtasks to your workspace.
MKR
Thursday, September 7, 2017
SMART ATTITUDE
SMART Attitude Mind set.
1. How to Make our Plan and Objectives (P & O) Achievable?
- Use “SMART” tools to reach our P & O.
- Setting SMART P & O means we can clarify our ideas, focus our efforts, use our time and resources productively, and increase our chances of achieving what we want in life.
2. MKR will explore what SMART Attitudes are, and we'll look at how we can use it to achieve our P & O.
3. What Does SMART Mean?
- SMART is an acronym that we can use to guide our P & O setting.
4. To make sure our P & O are clear and reachable, each one should be:
a) S - Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
b) M - Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
c) A - Achievable (agreed, attainable).
d) R – Reasonable (realistic, resourced, results-based).
e) T – Timeliness ((time-based, time limited, time secure).
5. How to Use SMART?
A. Specific.
i) Our P & O should be clear and specific, otherwise we won't be able to focus our efforts or feel truly motivated to achieve it.
ii) When drafting our P & O, try to answer the five "W" and one “H” questions:
• What do we want to accomplish?
• Why is this goal important?
• Who is involved?
• Where is it located?
• When resources or limits are required?
• How to make it happen?
B. Measurable.
i) It's important to have measurable P & O, so that we can track our progress and stay motivated.
ii) Assessing progress helps us to stay focused, meet our deadlines, and feel the excitement of getting closer to achieving our P & O.
iii) A measurable goal should address questions such as:
• How much?
• How many?
• How will I know when it is accomplished?
3. Achievable.
i) Our P & O also needs to be realistic and attainable to be successful.
ii) In other words, it should stretch our abilities but still remain possible.
iii) When we set an achievable P & O, we may be able to identify previously overlooked opportunities or resources that can bring us closer to it.
iv) An achievable goal will usually answer questions such as:
How can I accomplish this P & O?
How realistic is the P & O, based on other constraints?
4. Relevant.
i) This step is about ensuring that our P & O matters to us, and that it also aligns with other relevant P & O.
ii) We all need support and assistance in achieving our P & O, but it's important to retain control over them.
iii) So, make sure that our P & O drive everyone forward, but that you're still responsible for achieving our own goal.
iv) A relevant P & O can answer "yes" to these questions:
• Does this seem worthwhile?
• Is this the right time?
• Does this match our other efforts/needs?
6. Timeliness.
i) Every P & O needs a target date, so that we have a deadline to focus on and something to work toward.
ii) This part of the SMART P & O criteria helps to prevent everyday tasks from taking priority over our longer-term P & O.
iii) A Timeliness P & O will usually answer these questions:
• When?
• What can we do six months from now?
• What can we do six weeks from now?
• What can we do today?
7. SMART Benefits.
i) SMART is an effective tool that provides the clarity, focus and motivation we need to achieve our goals.
ii) It can also improve our ability to reach it by encouraging us to define our objectives and set a completion date.
iii) SMART P & O are also easy to use by anyone, anywhere, without the need for specialist tools or training.
iv) SMART is a well-established tool that we can use to plan and achieve your objectives.
v) When we use SMART, we can create clear, attainable and meaningful P & O, and develop the motivation, action plan, and support needed to achieve it.
MKR
1. How to Make our Plan and Objectives (P & O) Achievable?
- Use “SMART” tools to reach our P & O.
- Setting SMART P & O means we can clarify our ideas, focus our efforts, use our time and resources productively, and increase our chances of achieving what we want in life.
2. MKR will explore what SMART Attitudes are, and we'll look at how we can use it to achieve our P & O.
3. What Does SMART Mean?
- SMART is an acronym that we can use to guide our P & O setting.
4. To make sure our P & O are clear and reachable, each one should be:
a) S - Specific (simple, sensible, significant).
b) M - Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
c) A - Achievable (agreed, attainable).
d) R – Reasonable (realistic, resourced, results-based).
e) T – Timeliness ((time-based, time limited, time secure).
5. How to Use SMART?
A. Specific.
i) Our P & O should be clear and specific, otherwise we won't be able to focus our efforts or feel truly motivated to achieve it.
ii) When drafting our P & O, try to answer the five "W" and one “H” questions:
• What do we want to accomplish?
• Why is this goal important?
• Who is involved?
• Where is it located?
• When resources or limits are required?
• How to make it happen?
B. Measurable.
i) It's important to have measurable P & O, so that we can track our progress and stay motivated.
ii) Assessing progress helps us to stay focused, meet our deadlines, and feel the excitement of getting closer to achieving our P & O.
iii) A measurable goal should address questions such as:
• How much?
• How many?
• How will I know when it is accomplished?
3. Achievable.
i) Our P & O also needs to be realistic and attainable to be successful.
ii) In other words, it should stretch our abilities but still remain possible.
iii) When we set an achievable P & O, we may be able to identify previously overlooked opportunities or resources that can bring us closer to it.
iv) An achievable goal will usually answer questions such as:
How can I accomplish this P & O?
How realistic is the P & O, based on other constraints?
4. Relevant.
i) This step is about ensuring that our P & O matters to us, and that it also aligns with other relevant P & O.
ii) We all need support and assistance in achieving our P & O, but it's important to retain control over them.
iii) So, make sure that our P & O drive everyone forward, but that you're still responsible for achieving our own goal.
iv) A relevant P & O can answer "yes" to these questions:
• Does this seem worthwhile?
• Is this the right time?
• Does this match our other efforts/needs?
6. Timeliness.
i) Every P & O needs a target date, so that we have a deadline to focus on and something to work toward.
ii) This part of the SMART P & O criteria helps to prevent everyday tasks from taking priority over our longer-term P & O.
iii) A Timeliness P & O will usually answer these questions:
• When?
• What can we do six months from now?
• What can we do six weeks from now?
• What can we do today?
7. SMART Benefits.
i) SMART is an effective tool that provides the clarity, focus and motivation we need to achieve our goals.
ii) It can also improve our ability to reach it by encouraging us to define our objectives and set a completion date.
iii) SMART P & O are also easy to use by anyone, anywhere, without the need for specialist tools or training.
iv) SMART is a well-established tool that we can use to plan and achieve your objectives.
v) When we use SMART, we can create clear, attainable and meaningful P & O, and develop the motivation, action plan, and support needed to achieve it.
MKR
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
FAILURE MODE EFFECT ANALYSIS (FMEA)
FAILURE MODE EFFECTS ANALYSIS (FMEA)
A) INTRO:
1. Also called: potential failure modes and effects analysis; failure modes, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA).
2. Failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) is a step-by-step approach for identifying all possible failures in a design, a manufacturing or assembly process, or a product or service.
3. “Failure modes” means the ways, or modes, in which something might fail. Failures are any errors or defects, especially ones that affect the customer, and can be potential or actual.
4. “Effects analysis” refers to studying the consequences of those failures.
5. Failures are prioritized according to how serious their consequences are, how frequently they occur and how easily they can be detected.
6. The purpose of the FMEA is to take actions to eliminate or reduce failures, starting with the highest-priority ones.
7. Failure modes and effects analysis also documents current knowledge and actions about the risks of failures, for use in continuous improvement.
8. FMEA is used during design to prevent failures. Later it’s used for control, before and during on-going operation of the process. Ideally, FMEA begins during the earliest conceptual stages of design and continues throughout the life of the product or service.
9. Begun in the 1940s by the U.S. military, FMEA was further developed by the aerospace and automotive industries. Several industries maintain formal FMEA standards.
10. What follows is an overview and reference. Before undertaking an FMEA process, learn more about standards and specific methods in your organization and industry through other references and training.
B) When to Use FMEA:
a) When a process, product or service is being designed or redesigned, after quality function deployment.
b) When an existing process, product or service is being applied in a new way.
c) Before developing control plans for a new or modified process.
d) When improvement goals are planned for an existing process, product or service.
e) When analysing failures of an existing process, product or service.
f) Periodically throughout the life of the process, product or service
C) FMEA Procedure
Notes: (Again, this is a general procedure. Specific details may vary with standards of your organization or industry.)
i. Assemble a cross-functional team of people with diverse knowledge about the process, product or service and customer needs.
ii. Functions often included are: design, manufacturing, quality, testing, reliability, maintenance, purchasing (and suppliers), sales, marketing (and customers) and customer service.
iii. Identify the scope of the FMEA. Is it for concept, system, design, process or service?
iv. What are the boundaries?
v. How detailed should we be?
vi. Use flowcharts to identify the scope and to make sure every team member understands it in detail. (From here on, we’ll use the word “scope” to mean the system, design, process or service that is the subject of your FMEA.)
vii. Identify the functions of your scope. Ask, “What is the purpose of this system, design, process or service? What do our customers expect it to do?”
viii. Name it with a verb followed by a noun. Usually you will break the scope into separate subsystems, items, parts, assemblies or process steps and identify the function of each.
ix. For each function, identify all the ways failure could happen. These are potential failure modes.
x. If necessary, go back and rewrite the function with more detail to be sure the failure modes show a loss of that function.
xi. For each failure mode, identify all the consequences on the system, related systems, process, related processes, product, service, customer or regulations. These are potential effects of failure. Ask, “What does the customer experience because of this failure? What happens when this failure occurs?”
xii. Determine how serious each effect is. This is the severity rating, or S. Severity is usually rated on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is insignificant and 10 is catastrophic.
xiii. If a failure mode has more than one effect, write on the FMEA table only the highest severity rating for that failure mode.
xiv. For each failure mode, determine all the potential root causes. Use tools classified as cause analysis tool, as well as the best knowledge and experience of the team. List all possible causes for each failure mode on the FMEA form.
xv. For each cause, determine the occurrence rating, or O. This rating estimates the probability of failure occurring for that reason during the lifetime of your scope.
xvi. Occurrence is usually rated on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is extremely unlikely and 10 is inevitable. On the FMEA table, list the occurrence rating for each cause.
xvii. For each cause, identify current process controls. These are tests, procedures or mechanisms that you now have in place to keep failures from reaching the customer.
xviii. These controls might prevent the cause from happening, reduce the likelihood that it will happen or detect failure after the cause has already happened but before the customer is affected.
xix. For each control, determine the detection rating, or D. This rating estimates how well the controls can detect either the cause or its failure mode after they have happened but before the customer is affected.
xx. Detection is usually rated on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means the control is absolutely certain to detect the problem and 10 means the control is certain not to detect the problem (or no control exists). On the FMEA table, list the detection rating for each cause.
xxi. (Optional for most industries) Is this failure mode associated with a critical characteristic? (Critical characteristics are measurements or indicators that reflect safety or compliance with government regulations and need special controls.)
xxii. If so, a column labelled “Classification” receives a Y or N to show whether special controls are needed. Usually, critical characteristics have a severity of 9 or 10 and occurrence and detection ratings above 3.
xxiii. Calculate the risk priority number, or RPN, which equals S × O × D. Also calculate Criticality by multiplying severity by occurrence, S × O. These numbers provide guidance for ranking potential failures in the order they should be addressed.
xxiv. Identify recommended actions. These actions may be design or process changes to lower severity or occurrence.
xxv. They may be additional controls to improve detection. Also note who is responsible for the actions and target completion dates.
xxvi. As actions are completed, note results and the date on the FMEA form. Also, note new S, O or D ratings and new RPNs.
MKR
A) INTRO:
1. Also called: potential failure modes and effects analysis; failure modes, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA).
2. Failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) is a step-by-step approach for identifying all possible failures in a design, a manufacturing or assembly process, or a product or service.
3. “Failure modes” means the ways, or modes, in which something might fail. Failures are any errors or defects, especially ones that affect the customer, and can be potential or actual.
4. “Effects analysis” refers to studying the consequences of those failures.
5. Failures are prioritized according to how serious their consequences are, how frequently they occur and how easily they can be detected.
6. The purpose of the FMEA is to take actions to eliminate or reduce failures, starting with the highest-priority ones.
7. Failure modes and effects analysis also documents current knowledge and actions about the risks of failures, for use in continuous improvement.
8. FMEA is used during design to prevent failures. Later it’s used for control, before and during on-going operation of the process. Ideally, FMEA begins during the earliest conceptual stages of design and continues throughout the life of the product or service.
9. Begun in the 1940s by the U.S. military, FMEA was further developed by the aerospace and automotive industries. Several industries maintain formal FMEA standards.
10. What follows is an overview and reference. Before undertaking an FMEA process, learn more about standards and specific methods in your organization and industry through other references and training.
B) When to Use FMEA:
a) When a process, product or service is being designed or redesigned, after quality function deployment.
b) When an existing process, product or service is being applied in a new way.
c) Before developing control plans for a new or modified process.
d) When improvement goals are planned for an existing process, product or service.
e) When analysing failures of an existing process, product or service.
f) Periodically throughout the life of the process, product or service
C) FMEA Procedure
Notes: (Again, this is a general procedure. Specific details may vary with standards of your organization or industry.)
i. Assemble a cross-functional team of people with diverse knowledge about the process, product or service and customer needs.
ii. Functions often included are: design, manufacturing, quality, testing, reliability, maintenance, purchasing (and suppliers), sales, marketing (and customers) and customer service.
iii. Identify the scope of the FMEA. Is it for concept, system, design, process or service?
iv. What are the boundaries?
v. How detailed should we be?
vi. Use flowcharts to identify the scope and to make sure every team member understands it in detail. (From here on, we’ll use the word “scope” to mean the system, design, process or service that is the subject of your FMEA.)
vii. Identify the functions of your scope. Ask, “What is the purpose of this system, design, process or service? What do our customers expect it to do?”
viii. Name it with a verb followed by a noun. Usually you will break the scope into separate subsystems, items, parts, assemblies or process steps and identify the function of each.
ix. For each function, identify all the ways failure could happen. These are potential failure modes.
x. If necessary, go back and rewrite the function with more detail to be sure the failure modes show a loss of that function.
xi. For each failure mode, identify all the consequences on the system, related systems, process, related processes, product, service, customer or regulations. These are potential effects of failure. Ask, “What does the customer experience because of this failure? What happens when this failure occurs?”
xii. Determine how serious each effect is. This is the severity rating, or S. Severity is usually rated on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is insignificant and 10 is catastrophic.
xiii. If a failure mode has more than one effect, write on the FMEA table only the highest severity rating for that failure mode.
xiv. For each failure mode, determine all the potential root causes. Use tools classified as cause analysis tool, as well as the best knowledge and experience of the team. List all possible causes for each failure mode on the FMEA form.
xv. For each cause, determine the occurrence rating, or O. This rating estimates the probability of failure occurring for that reason during the lifetime of your scope.
xvi. Occurrence is usually rated on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is extremely unlikely and 10 is inevitable. On the FMEA table, list the occurrence rating for each cause.
xvii. For each cause, identify current process controls. These are tests, procedures or mechanisms that you now have in place to keep failures from reaching the customer.
xviii. These controls might prevent the cause from happening, reduce the likelihood that it will happen or detect failure after the cause has already happened but before the customer is affected.
xix. For each control, determine the detection rating, or D. This rating estimates how well the controls can detect either the cause or its failure mode after they have happened but before the customer is affected.
xx. Detection is usually rated on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 means the control is absolutely certain to detect the problem and 10 means the control is certain not to detect the problem (or no control exists). On the FMEA table, list the detection rating for each cause.
xxi. (Optional for most industries) Is this failure mode associated with a critical characteristic? (Critical characteristics are measurements or indicators that reflect safety or compliance with government regulations and need special controls.)
xxii. If so, a column labelled “Classification” receives a Y or N to show whether special controls are needed. Usually, critical characteristics have a severity of 9 or 10 and occurrence and detection ratings above 3.
xxiii. Calculate the risk priority number, or RPN, which equals S × O × D. Also calculate Criticality by multiplying severity by occurrence, S × O. These numbers provide guidance for ranking potential failures in the order they should be addressed.
xxiv. Identify recommended actions. These actions may be design or process changes to lower severity or occurrence.
xxv. They may be additional controls to improve detection. Also note who is responsible for the actions and target completion dates.
xxvi. As actions are completed, note results and the date on the FMEA form. Also, note new S, O or D ratings and new RPNs.
MKR
JOB PRIORITY LIST
JOB PRIORITY LIST
1. The Key to Efficiency
Do you often feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to do, or do you find yourself missing deadlines? Or do you sometimes just forget to do something important, so that people have to chase you to get work done?
All of these are symptoms of not keeping a proper "Job Priority List." These are prioritized lists of all the tasks that you need to carry out. They list everything that you have to do, with the most important tasks at the top of the list, and the least important tasks at the bottom.
By keeping such a list, you make sure that your tasks are written down all in one place so you don't forget anything important. And by prioritizing tasks, you plan the order in which you'll do them, so that you can tell what needs your immediate attention, and what you can leave until later.
Job Priority Lists are essential if you're going to beat work overload. When you don't use them effectively, you'll appear unfocused and unreliable to the people around you.
When you do use them effectively, you'll be much better organized, and you'll be much more reliable.
You'll experience less stress, safe in the knowledge that you haven't forgotten anything important. More than this, if you prioritize intelligently, you'll focus your time and energy on high value activities, which will mean that you're more productive, and more valuable to your team.
Keeping a properly structured and thought-out list sounds simple enough. But it can be surprising how many people fail to use them at all, never mind use them effectively.
In fact, it's often when people start to use them effectively and sensibly that they make their first personal productivity breakthroughs, and start making a success of their careers.
2. Preparing a Job Priority List
Step 1:
Write down all of the tasks that you need to complete. If they're large tasks, break out the first action step, and write this down with the larger task. (Ideally, tasks or action steps should take no longer than 1-2 hours to complete.)
Notes: You may find it easier to compile several lists (covering personal, study, and workplace, for example). Try different approaches and use the best for your own situation.
Step 2:
Run through these tasks allocating priorities from A (very important, or very urgent) to F (unimportant, or not at all urgent).
If too many tasks have a high priority, run through the list again and demote the less important ones. Once you have done this, rewrite the list in priority order.
3. Using Your Job Priority List
To use your list, simply work your way through it in order, dealing with the A priority tasks first, then the Bs, then the Cs, and so on. As you complete tasks, tick them off or strike them through.
What you put on your list and how you use it will depend on your situation. For instance, if you're in a sales-type role, a good way to motivate yourself is to keep your list relatively short, and aim to complete it every day.
Sometimes it needs to focus on a longer-term task in the list. You may continue to monitor it day-by-day basis.
Many people find it helpful to spend, say, 10 minutes at the end of the day, organising tasks on their list for the next day.
Notes: When you're prioritising tasks, make sure you differentiate between urgency and importance.
Although using a paper list is an easy way to get started, software-based approaches can be more efficient in spite of the learning curve. These can remind you of events or tasks that will soon be overdue, they can also be synchronised with your phone or email, and they can be shared with others on your team, if you're collaborating on a project.
There are many time management software programs available. At a simple level, you can use MSWord or MSExcel to manage your lists. Some versions of Microsoft Outlook, and other email services such as Gmail, have task lists as standard features. Remember the Milk is another popular online task management tool that will sync with your smartphone, PDA, or email account. It can even show you where your tasks are on a map.
One of the biggest advantages to using a software-based approach to manage your list is that you can update it easily. For example, instead of scratching off tasks and rewriting the list every day, software allows you to move and prioritise tasks quickly.
Notes: All of us think, plan and work differently. A program that works well for a colleague might not work well for you simply because you learn and think in your own way. This is why it's useful to research and try several different ways of compiling your list before deciding on a single system
Job Priority Lists can help you get, and stay, on top of important projects and piles of tasks or decisions.
For instance, imagine you're heading a team that's working on a project. There are so many tasks to do, and so many people doing them, that staying on top of it all seems overwhelming.
In this situation, structure your list by team member, writing out tasks and deadlines for every person on the project. Each day as you write out your own tasks that need completion, you can also check your Team To-Do List to see who's working on what, and if anything is due in that day. You can also include other tasks that you need to complete as part of your job.
Or, imagine you're in a sales role and have a long list of people who you need to talk to. You write out a list of everyone you need to call and every client you need to see, and start prioritising.
You know that one client really keen on your product and is ready to buy, so you prioritise them with an "A" – this is a prospect that's really worth focusing on. Conversely, you know that another prospect is playing you off against several competitors, meaning that you'll make less profit, and that there's a reasonable chance that you won't get the business. You prioritize this person with a "D". It's worth making some effort here, but you should focus most of your attention on better prospects.
Tip: Job Priority Lists are particularly useful when you have a small number of tasks that you need to complete. However, they can become cumbersome when you have too many items on them, or when you need to progress multiple projects. At this stage, it's worth starting to use Action Programs, which are designed to manage more complex situations reliably.
3. Advantages of Job Priority List
• To be well organized in the workplace, you need to be using Job Priority Lists. By using them, you will ensure that:
You remember to carry out all necessary tasks.
You tackle the most important jobs first, and don't waste time on trivial tasks.
You don't get stressed by a large number of unimportant jobs.
Start by listing all of the tasks that you must carry out.
Mark the importance of the task next to it, with a priority from A (very important) to F (unimportant). Redraft the list into this order of importance. Then carry out the jobs at the top of the list first. These are the most important, most beneficial tasks to complete.
MKR
1. The Key to Efficiency
Do you often feel overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to do, or do you find yourself missing deadlines? Or do you sometimes just forget to do something important, so that people have to chase you to get work done?
All of these are symptoms of not keeping a proper "Job Priority List." These are prioritized lists of all the tasks that you need to carry out. They list everything that you have to do, with the most important tasks at the top of the list, and the least important tasks at the bottom.
By keeping such a list, you make sure that your tasks are written down all in one place so you don't forget anything important. And by prioritizing tasks, you plan the order in which you'll do them, so that you can tell what needs your immediate attention, and what you can leave until later.
Job Priority Lists are essential if you're going to beat work overload. When you don't use them effectively, you'll appear unfocused and unreliable to the people around you.
When you do use them effectively, you'll be much better organized, and you'll be much more reliable.
You'll experience less stress, safe in the knowledge that you haven't forgotten anything important. More than this, if you prioritize intelligently, you'll focus your time and energy on high value activities, which will mean that you're more productive, and more valuable to your team.
Keeping a properly structured and thought-out list sounds simple enough. But it can be surprising how many people fail to use them at all, never mind use them effectively.
In fact, it's often when people start to use them effectively and sensibly that they make their first personal productivity breakthroughs, and start making a success of their careers.
2. Preparing a Job Priority List
Step 1:
Write down all of the tasks that you need to complete. If they're large tasks, break out the first action step, and write this down with the larger task. (Ideally, tasks or action steps should take no longer than 1-2 hours to complete.)
Notes: You may find it easier to compile several lists (covering personal, study, and workplace, for example). Try different approaches and use the best for your own situation.
Step 2:
Run through these tasks allocating priorities from A (very important, or very urgent) to F (unimportant, or not at all urgent).
If too many tasks have a high priority, run through the list again and demote the less important ones. Once you have done this, rewrite the list in priority order.
3. Using Your Job Priority List
To use your list, simply work your way through it in order, dealing with the A priority tasks first, then the Bs, then the Cs, and so on. As you complete tasks, tick them off or strike them through.
What you put on your list and how you use it will depend on your situation. For instance, if you're in a sales-type role, a good way to motivate yourself is to keep your list relatively short, and aim to complete it every day.
Sometimes it needs to focus on a longer-term task in the list. You may continue to monitor it day-by-day basis.
Many people find it helpful to spend, say, 10 minutes at the end of the day, organising tasks on their list for the next day.
Notes: When you're prioritising tasks, make sure you differentiate between urgency and importance.
Although using a paper list is an easy way to get started, software-based approaches can be more efficient in spite of the learning curve. These can remind you of events or tasks that will soon be overdue, they can also be synchronised with your phone or email, and they can be shared with others on your team, if you're collaborating on a project.
There are many time management software programs available. At a simple level, you can use MSWord or MSExcel to manage your lists. Some versions of Microsoft Outlook, and other email services such as Gmail, have task lists as standard features. Remember the Milk is another popular online task management tool that will sync with your smartphone, PDA, or email account. It can even show you where your tasks are on a map.
One of the biggest advantages to using a software-based approach to manage your list is that you can update it easily. For example, instead of scratching off tasks and rewriting the list every day, software allows you to move and prioritise tasks quickly.
Notes: All of us think, plan and work differently. A program that works well for a colleague might not work well for you simply because you learn and think in your own way. This is why it's useful to research and try several different ways of compiling your list before deciding on a single system
Job Priority Lists can help you get, and stay, on top of important projects and piles of tasks or decisions.
For instance, imagine you're heading a team that's working on a project. There are so many tasks to do, and so many people doing them, that staying on top of it all seems overwhelming.
In this situation, structure your list by team member, writing out tasks and deadlines for every person on the project. Each day as you write out your own tasks that need completion, you can also check your Team To-Do List to see who's working on what, and if anything is due in that day. You can also include other tasks that you need to complete as part of your job.
Or, imagine you're in a sales role and have a long list of people who you need to talk to. You write out a list of everyone you need to call and every client you need to see, and start prioritising.
You know that one client really keen on your product and is ready to buy, so you prioritise them with an "A" – this is a prospect that's really worth focusing on. Conversely, you know that another prospect is playing you off against several competitors, meaning that you'll make less profit, and that there's a reasonable chance that you won't get the business. You prioritize this person with a "D". It's worth making some effort here, but you should focus most of your attention on better prospects.
Tip: Job Priority Lists are particularly useful when you have a small number of tasks that you need to complete. However, they can become cumbersome when you have too many items on them, or when you need to progress multiple projects. At this stage, it's worth starting to use Action Programs, which are designed to manage more complex situations reliably.
3. Advantages of Job Priority List
• To be well organized in the workplace, you need to be using Job Priority Lists. By using them, you will ensure that:
You remember to carry out all necessary tasks.
You tackle the most important jobs first, and don't waste time on trivial tasks.
You don't get stressed by a large number of unimportant jobs.
Start by listing all of the tasks that you must carry out.
Mark the importance of the task next to it, with a priority from A (very important) to F (unimportant). Redraft the list into this order of importance. Then carry out the jobs at the top of the list first. These are the most important, most beneficial tasks to complete.
MKR
ON THE JOB TRAINING (OJT)
On-the-Job Training (OJT)
Management development is a systematic process of growth and development by which the Head of Departments (HODs) develop their abilities to staff. It is concerned with not only improving the performance of staffs but also giving them opportunities for growth and development.
There are two methods through which staffs can improve their knowledge and skills. One is through formal training and other is through on the job experiences. On the job training is very important since real learning takes place only when one practices what they have studied.
1. On-the-job Training (OJT) Methods:
This is the most common method of training in which a trainee is placed on a specific job and taught the skills and knowledge necessary to perform it.
The advantages of OJT are as follows:
a. On the job method is a flexible method.
b. It is a less expensive method.
c. The trainee is highly motivated and encouraged to learn.
d. Much arrangement for the training is not required.
On-the-job training methods are as follows:
1. Job rotation:
This training method involves movement of trainee from one job to another gain knowledge and experience from different job assignments. This method helps the trainee understand the problems of other employees.
2. Coaching:
Under this method, the trainee is placed under a particular supervisor who functions as a coach in training and provides feedback to the trainee. Sometimes the trainee may not get an opportunity to express his/her ideas.
3. Job instructions:
Also known as step-by-step training in which the trainer explains the way of doing the jobs to the trainee and in case of mistakes, corrects the trainee.
4. Committee assignments:
A group of trainees are asked to solve a given organizational problem by discussing the problem. This helps to improve team work.
Prepared:
MKR.
Management development is a systematic process of growth and development by which the Head of Departments (HODs) develop their abilities to staff. It is concerned with not only improving the performance of staffs but also giving them opportunities for growth and development.
There are two methods through which staffs can improve their knowledge and skills. One is through formal training and other is through on the job experiences. On the job training is very important since real learning takes place only when one practices what they have studied.
1. On-the-job Training (OJT) Methods:
This is the most common method of training in which a trainee is placed on a specific job and taught the skills and knowledge necessary to perform it.
The advantages of OJT are as follows:
a. On the job method is a flexible method.
b. It is a less expensive method.
c. The trainee is highly motivated and encouraged to learn.
d. Much arrangement for the training is not required.
On-the-job training methods are as follows:
1. Job rotation:
This training method involves movement of trainee from one job to another gain knowledge and experience from different job assignments. This method helps the trainee understand the problems of other employees.
2. Coaching:
Under this method, the trainee is placed under a particular supervisor who functions as a coach in training and provides feedback to the trainee. Sometimes the trainee may not get an opportunity to express his/her ideas.
3. Job instructions:
Also known as step-by-step training in which the trainer explains the way of doing the jobs to the trainee and in case of mistakes, corrects the trainee.
4. Committee assignments:
A group of trainees are asked to solve a given organizational problem by discussing the problem. This helps to improve team work.
Prepared:
MKR.
PLAN DO CHECK ACTION (PDCA) CYCLE
1. WHAT IS PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACTION (PDCA) CYCLES?
PLAN
- Establish the objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in accordance with the expected output (the target or goals).
- By establishing output expectations, the completeness and accuracy of the specification is also a part of the targeted improvement.
DO
- Implement the plan, execute the process, and implement.
- Collect data for charting and analysis in the following "CHECK" and "ACTION" steps.
CHECK
- Study the actual results (measured and collected in "DO" above) and compare against the expected results (targets or goals from the "PLAN") to ascertain any differences.
- Look for deviation in implementation from the plan and also look for the appropriateness and completeness of the plan to enable the execution, i.e., "Do".
- Charting data can make this much easier to see trends over several PDCA cycles and in order to convert the collected data into information.
- Information is what you need for the next step "ACTION".
ACTION
- If the CHECK shows that the PLAN that was implemented in DO is an improvement to the prior standard (baseline), then that becomes the new standard (baseline) for how the organization should ACTION going forward.
- If the CHECK shows that the PLAN that was implemented in DO is not an improvement, then the existing standard (baseline) will remain in place.
- In either case, if the CHECK showed something different than expected (whether better or worse), then there is some more learning to be done and that will suggest potential future PDCA cycles.
- Note that some who teach PDCA assert that the ACTION involves making adjustments or corrective actions but generally it would be counter to PDCA thinking to propose and decide upon alternative changes without using a proper PLAN phase, or to make them the new standard (baseline) without going through DO and CHECK steps.
2. WHEN TO USE PDCA CYCLE?
- As a model for continuous improvement.
- When starting a new improvement project.
- When developing a new or improved design of a process, product or service.
- When defining a repetitive work process.
- When planning data collection and analysis in order to verify and prioritize problems or root causes.
- When implementing any change.
MKR
PLAN
- Establish the objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in accordance with the expected output (the target or goals).
- By establishing output expectations, the completeness and accuracy of the specification is also a part of the targeted improvement.
DO
- Implement the plan, execute the process, and implement.
- Collect data for charting and analysis in the following "CHECK" and "ACTION" steps.
CHECK
- Study the actual results (measured and collected in "DO" above) and compare against the expected results (targets or goals from the "PLAN") to ascertain any differences.
- Look for deviation in implementation from the plan and also look for the appropriateness and completeness of the plan to enable the execution, i.e., "Do".
- Charting data can make this much easier to see trends over several PDCA cycles and in order to convert the collected data into information.
- Information is what you need for the next step "ACTION".
ACTION
- If the CHECK shows that the PLAN that was implemented in DO is an improvement to the prior standard (baseline), then that becomes the new standard (baseline) for how the organization should ACTION going forward.
- If the CHECK shows that the PLAN that was implemented in DO is not an improvement, then the existing standard (baseline) will remain in place.
- In either case, if the CHECK showed something different than expected (whether better or worse), then there is some more learning to be done and that will suggest potential future PDCA cycles.
- Note that some who teach PDCA assert that the ACTION involves making adjustments or corrective actions but generally it would be counter to PDCA thinking to propose and decide upon alternative changes without using a proper PLAN phase, or to make them the new standard (baseline) without going through DO and CHECK steps.
2. WHEN TO USE PDCA CYCLE?
- As a model for continuous improvement.
- When starting a new improvement project.
- When developing a new or improved design of a process, product or service.
- When defining a repetitive work process.
- When planning data collection and analysis in order to verify and prioritize problems or root causes.
- When implementing any change.
MKR
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
SPIRIT OF RAMADHAN
Every year Muslims from all over the world and from all ethnic and economic backgrounds begin fasting from dawn to sunset every day during a most blessed month in the Islamic tradition, known as Ramadan. But what makes Ramadan a blessed month? Why do Muslims fast during this month? What are the spiritual benefits of fasting? All these questions and more are addressed in this article that introduces you to a month long spiritual journey that over 1.4 billion Muslims engage in worldwide.
The Quran says what means:
“It was the month of Ramadan in which the Quran was revealed from on high as guidance for humanity and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false.” (Quran 2:185).
The entire month of Ramadan is in essence a celebration of the Quran’s revelation, which is described as a “Guide and Mercy for those who do well.” (Quran 31:3).
Ramadan celebrates God’s Mercy by which He sent a guiding light in the Quran that leads human life towards the path of good and virtue and protects the human soul from evil and vice.
Muslims show their gratitude to God for this guidance by abstaining from eating, drinking and sexual intimacy during Ramadan, as a way of coming closer to God and developing a deep inner awareness of God’s presence in life. This internal mechanism of feeling God’s presence leads the soul to do right even under life’s most difficult situations, and protects the soul against wrongdoing even when it is the easier or more tempting path to take.
This is why the Quran switches to a most intimate relationship between God and servant immediately following the passage on fasting in Ramadan (Quran 2:183-185).
“When My servants ask you about Me, I am close indeed—I hearken to the prayer of the supplicant when one calls on Me; so let them hearken to Me, and let them believe in Me, that they may go the right way.” (Quran 2:186)
When the soul enters into a station of gratitude and submission to its Lord, through fasting, there is a recognition that life has been given by God as a gift and trust to be used for good works that reflect God’s mercy, compassion, love, generosity and so on. In fact, the Quran says that the natural inclination of our souls is to submit to God’s Will by having sincere belief in One God and doing righteous acts of worship (Quran 30:30).
As such, the very concept of sin, in the Islamic tradition, is known as an act of oppression against one’s own soul for forcing it into a state that is antithetical to its very nature and created purpose (Quran 3:117, among many other verses). When a soul persists in sinning, it becomes a slave to its own lower desires, a prisoner of its own passions (Quran 25:43).
Fasting, then, seeks to free the soul from these shackles by suppressing the lower self of desire and raising the God-conscious soul of giving that naturally aspires towards good. By depriving the soul of life’s basic necessities for some hours, one is able to teach the soul self-restraint and self-control from such evils as anger, revenge, lying, stealing, sexual immorality and so on.
This is why Prophet Muhammad said that “When anyone of you is fasting on a day, he should neither indulge in obscene language nor should he raise his voice; and if anyone insults him or tries to quarrel with him, he should say: ‘I am fasting.’” The Prophet also warned Muslims not to make fasting an uneventful ritual that has no affect on the character and habits of a person: “If anyone does not refrain from lies and false conduct, God has no need for him to abstain from his food and drink.”
One of the most important qualities fasting seeks to develop within an individual is humility before God and God’s creation. Hunger and thirst cause one to realize that if it were not for God’s Mercy and Sustenance, one would be in a most difficult and undesirable state of affairs. Fasting is a humbling experience, which is an important characteristic of a righteous soul, for false pride and arrogance can never live side-by-side with sincere piety.
The act of fasting, therefore, also provides the fortunate, wealthy members of society to experience for a time the pain and suffering which millions of people go through every day without food, water and other basic necessities of life. Fasting bridges the gap between rich and poor, sustained and impoverished, fulfilled and needy.
This experience should then inspire compassion and mercy, which is manifest by generosity of wealth and time to help those in need. Muslims are encouraged especially during this month to go out and feed the hungry and to spend their wealth on good causes, such as building schools, hospitals, soup kitchens and so on, in the tradition of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, whose generosity would increase ten-folds during Ramadan.
In the Islamic tradition, God promises to return all acts of goodness and generosity in this blessed month by ten-times, both in this world and in the hereafter.
Due to the blessings and rewards associated with Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to share their food with their neighbours and to invite guests to their home to begin the fast at sunrise and for breaking of the fast at sunset.
Muslims are also encouraged to significantly increase their worship to God during this month, and therefore special prayers are offered in every Mosque well into the night, with most Mosques packed with worshippers.
As such, Ramadan always brings with it a strong communal atmosphere and ties between the communities are strengthened greatly as a result. Most Muslims are therefore very sad to see the month of Ramadan go and its return is highly anticipated well in advance of its arrival.
In conclusion, Ramadan is a celebration of God’s guidance to humanity, through the Quran, which is a guide for doing good and a warning against evil. In order to bring the soul into harmony with the Quranic ideals of belief and virtue, fasting is prescribed as a way for individuals to come closer to God and to lift their souls to new heights of piety.
In doing so, the entire human body is able to transform itself into an agent of positive moral and social change that seeks to replace miserliness with generosity, anger with patience, revenge with love, and war with peace—in effect, replacing good with evil in the world.
A saying by God transmitted through Prophet Muhammad, known as a hadith qudsi, best explains the transformation that takes place in an individual through good acts, which in part are inspired by fasting. “And the most beloved thing with which My servant comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My servant keeps on coming closer to Me through performing extra righteous deeds till I love him. When I love him, I become the hearing with which he hears, seeing with which he sees, hands with he acts, and legs with which he walks; and if he asks of Me, I give him, and if he asks My protection, I protect him.”
MKR
The Quran says what means:
“It was the month of Ramadan in which the Quran was revealed from on high as guidance for humanity and a self-evident proof of that guidance, and as the standard by which to discern the true from the false.” (Quran 2:185).
The entire month of Ramadan is in essence a celebration of the Quran’s revelation, which is described as a “Guide and Mercy for those who do well.” (Quran 31:3).
Ramadan celebrates God’s Mercy by which He sent a guiding light in the Quran that leads human life towards the path of good and virtue and protects the human soul from evil and vice.
Muslims show their gratitude to God for this guidance by abstaining from eating, drinking and sexual intimacy during Ramadan, as a way of coming closer to God and developing a deep inner awareness of God’s presence in life. This internal mechanism of feeling God’s presence leads the soul to do right even under life’s most difficult situations, and protects the soul against wrongdoing even when it is the easier or more tempting path to take.
This is why the Quran switches to a most intimate relationship between God and servant immediately following the passage on fasting in Ramadan (Quran 2:183-185).
“When My servants ask you about Me, I am close indeed—I hearken to the prayer of the supplicant when one calls on Me; so let them hearken to Me, and let them believe in Me, that they may go the right way.” (Quran 2:186)
When the soul enters into a station of gratitude and submission to its Lord, through fasting, there is a recognition that life has been given by God as a gift and trust to be used for good works that reflect God’s mercy, compassion, love, generosity and so on. In fact, the Quran says that the natural inclination of our souls is to submit to God’s Will by having sincere belief in One God and doing righteous acts of worship (Quran 30:30).
As such, the very concept of sin, in the Islamic tradition, is known as an act of oppression against one’s own soul for forcing it into a state that is antithetical to its very nature and created purpose (Quran 3:117, among many other verses). When a soul persists in sinning, it becomes a slave to its own lower desires, a prisoner of its own passions (Quran 25:43).
Fasting, then, seeks to free the soul from these shackles by suppressing the lower self of desire and raising the God-conscious soul of giving that naturally aspires towards good. By depriving the soul of life’s basic necessities for some hours, one is able to teach the soul self-restraint and self-control from such evils as anger, revenge, lying, stealing, sexual immorality and so on.
This is why Prophet Muhammad said that “When anyone of you is fasting on a day, he should neither indulge in obscene language nor should he raise his voice; and if anyone insults him or tries to quarrel with him, he should say: ‘I am fasting.’” The Prophet also warned Muslims not to make fasting an uneventful ritual that has no affect on the character and habits of a person: “If anyone does not refrain from lies and false conduct, God has no need for him to abstain from his food and drink.”
One of the most important qualities fasting seeks to develop within an individual is humility before God and God’s creation. Hunger and thirst cause one to realize that if it were not for God’s Mercy and Sustenance, one would be in a most difficult and undesirable state of affairs. Fasting is a humbling experience, which is an important characteristic of a righteous soul, for false pride and arrogance can never live side-by-side with sincere piety.
The act of fasting, therefore, also provides the fortunate, wealthy members of society to experience for a time the pain and suffering which millions of people go through every day without food, water and other basic necessities of life. Fasting bridges the gap between rich and poor, sustained and impoverished, fulfilled and needy.
This experience should then inspire compassion and mercy, which is manifest by generosity of wealth and time to help those in need. Muslims are encouraged especially during this month to go out and feed the hungry and to spend their wealth on good causes, such as building schools, hospitals, soup kitchens and so on, in the tradition of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, whose generosity would increase ten-folds during Ramadan.
In the Islamic tradition, God promises to return all acts of goodness and generosity in this blessed month by ten-times, both in this world and in the hereafter.
Due to the blessings and rewards associated with Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to share their food with their neighbours and to invite guests to their home to begin the fast at sunrise and for breaking of the fast at sunset.
Muslims are also encouraged to significantly increase their worship to God during this month, and therefore special prayers are offered in every Mosque well into the night, with most Mosques packed with worshippers.
As such, Ramadan always brings with it a strong communal atmosphere and ties between the communities are strengthened greatly as a result. Most Muslims are therefore very sad to see the month of Ramadan go and its return is highly anticipated well in advance of its arrival.
In conclusion, Ramadan is a celebration of God’s guidance to humanity, through the Quran, which is a guide for doing good and a warning against evil. In order to bring the soul into harmony with the Quranic ideals of belief and virtue, fasting is prescribed as a way for individuals to come closer to God and to lift their souls to new heights of piety.
In doing so, the entire human body is able to transform itself into an agent of positive moral and social change that seeks to replace miserliness with generosity, anger with patience, revenge with love, and war with peace—in effect, replacing good with evil in the world.
A saying by God transmitted through Prophet Muhammad, known as a hadith qudsi, best explains the transformation that takes place in an individual through good acts, which in part are inspired by fasting. “And the most beloved thing with which My servant comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My servant keeps on coming closer to Me through performing extra righteous deeds till I love him. When I love him, I become the hearing with which he hears, seeing with which he sees, hands with he acts, and legs with which he walks; and if he asks of Me, I give him, and if he asks My protection, I protect him.”
MKR
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