(Paper) RBI Grade 'B' Officer Mains (Phase II) Exam - 2009

RBI Grade 'B' Officer Mains (Phase II) Exam - 2009

English Paper -1

Essay

Write an argumentative essay of about 500 words on any one of the following:-40

Is China a threat to India?
The 2008 recession was a myth in India.
Can we leave the world a safer place for the next generation?
Formal education is the only way to success in life?
Business Schools more business than school?

Precis

Make a precis of the following passage in your own words, reducing it to about 250 words, and give it a suitable title. Use the special sheet provided for the purpose:-24

These days, if you are the leader, you have got to give up your omnipotent fantasies that you know and must do everything. Bosses, these days, are advised to abandon their ego to the talents of others. Employees will not take any ' crap' from anyone. Young kids, fresh out of university, do not believe in hierarchy at the workplace, and they do not believe in being bossed around. Experts believe that the competition in the talent market has made employees "soft and submissive", and most organizations oppose strict and harsh leaders even when the employees' behaviour demands stern action. Are bosses scared to confront their employees?

Rigid, autocratic management styles are outdated and ineffective in today's modern workplace. If leaders want to motivate their bright young workers, they need to adopt a more collaborative style. One would come across such situations more in the BPO or IT industries, as compared to niche industries, where the fear is not too high though prevalent. That is because it is difficult to find the right candidate to fill in the position, if a particular employee quits.

Some H R Managers, however, do not agree that bosses today are scared to confront their employees. At the same time, they do not believe in the word ' confrontation'. They feel the need to talk to employees on a regular basis. The idea is not to criticize them, but to give them feedback for better performance and development.

It is not that bosses fear confronting their employees; it is just that they have become much more professional in their approach these days, as opposed to the tradition of shouting or losing their cool. Earlier, there were fewer jobs and more aspirants, whereas now, every individual has multiple career choices in the market. This has resulted in a drastic change in the attitude of the employees as well as the bosses.

In the corporate world today, where attrition rates are rising by the hour, how does an employer strike a balance between getting his work done and not making the employee feel pressurized and over-burdened? Through seeking the inputs of others, rather than dictating terms, employees' buy-in is important, and the effectiveness of the solutions generated is likely to be better. Research suggests that if you maintain your employees' self-esteem, listen and respond with empathy, and provide a supportive environment, relation can be increased. A warm and friendly approach with a lot of patience is always a win-win situation.

A boss should be able to gauge what the candidate is looking for in his present assignment long term career, designation, money, incentives, appreciation and tackle the employee accordingly. The first and foremost thing is to be clear about the expectations you have from each employee. In the absence of role clarity, confusion sets in. Employers today are adapting to ways like coaching and counselling', be it for a disciplinary issue or for performance issues. One needs to see with the employee and talk it out and clearly carve out the role and responsibilities of an employee. The younger lot is smart, talented, articulate and much more aggressive, and sometimes it is a Herculean task to handle them in difficult situations. How do organizations bring out the best from this lot? These young guns are the most difficult to work with, since they make any negative feedback an ego issue and feel that the superior is spoiling their image. At the same time, however, they are generally very productive to the organization. Educating them about the repercussions of non-compliance in a subtle manner, will help them. Leaders should handle such powerful teams by giving them the right direction, freedom to work, involve them in decision-making and empower them so they feel important and a part of the team.

For organizations today it is most important to have their vision and values clearly communicated to their employees. One should create an environment where employees feel that they are respected. Every effort should be made to ensure that people are not 'punished' when a well-thought-out Idea fails to work as intended.

In order to ensure that the staff delivers what you want them to, clarity of what the role requires is essential. This also makes reviewing much simpler and takes away the need to 'confront' staff. Helping employees see where they can move next in the organization, is essential for India's young and upwardly motivated workforce. Undoubtedly, the mantra of the world today is to have a positive and warm approach towards its employees in order to ensure good productivity without being bossy!

Comprehension

Answer two of the following questions on the passage, briefly and in your own words:10

What advice does the author give to Managers, about how to handle employees?
How does the author describe the younger lot of employees?
What are some of the modern methods used to retain employees?

Vocabulary

Explain dearly and briefly the contextual meaning and implication of three of the following expressions in the passage:-6

Omnipotent fantasies
Autocratic management
Niche industries
Attrition rates
Mantra

Letter Writing

Attempt any one of the following in about 250 words:-20

A car manufacturer has appointed a committee to investigate the feasibility of setting up a car manufacturing plant in India. As the Chairperson of the committee, draft your report with recommendations.
As the MLA from a rural area, draft a proposal to start a Technical College in your area
As the General Manager of a company, draft a circular to all employees about austerity measures to be adopted, in order to tide over the recession.