Learning people skills ....

I was in the first session of a management/leadership training class yesterday. Most participants were managers of a group of people and had been on their job for a while. We were all asked what we wanted to take away from this class. It was quite amazing to hear most participants say they wanted to learn how to improve their people skills/ gain people skills needed to manage a group! All I could think when I heard that every time was - " Were these people or the people who made them managers in the first place out of their minds?" To me, one of the first qualities to be in a people management position is people skills and here was a group of managers who wanted to gain people skills after they had done their job for a while... I feel sad for the employees these people have been managing!

Another though running through my mind was - at the end of this class, are these guys and gals going to be "better" people and hence better managers? I honestly dont know the answer.. In anycase, I am really looking forward to this course and hopefully there are lots of things I can take away from this class that can make me more effective on my job..

The most ironic aspect of all this was - many people in that group were not managers when I first came to know them and they had a laundry list of things they thought their managers should be working on and on top of the list was - "they should learn some people skills!!!" Happy learning to me and my classmates!

What's with Reality TV shows?

I am neither what you would call a couch potato (by anybody's definition) nor one among the growing by the minute reality TV watchers. I have my favorite shows that I watch whenever I can and dont own a TiVo since I am perfectly fine missing one or more episodes of my favorite show(s) - I am what you could describe a casual TV watcher.

Growing up, I did not know what a reality TV show was although I know watched my share of some version of it in those days - general knowledge quiz programs, a few game shows in the later years etc.

In the last few years, however, I have seen the number of reality TV shows increase. There is a show for anything and everything from eating to dancing to skating to losing weight to getting married/ engaged to adventure racing... In my mind I could never understand the obsession with reality TV shows - how can someone get hooked to these shows and start rooting for one or more participants? Is it because we identify ourselves with those participants, is it because we aspire to be one of the participants or is it because we can never guess what is going to happen next or is it because we see real people show some real emotions and talent?

While I am still wondering what makes a reality show a hit show (or not), I am guilty of becoming hooked to a reality TV show myself - the talent search show - American Idol. I have watched many episodes of the show in every season, every episode seems to be so new and interesting! When it comes to explaining to someone why I like the shows, I am at a loss and ask myself the question - what's with these reality shows and what makes me watch one of them? Is it the participants or is it the creator or is the judges or is it the host ? I guess I will always be wondering but the new season of American Idol just started a week ago and I am pretty sure I will have my favorites and be rooting for them as the season progresses...