What happened to Office Etiquette?

first_post · Post by **first_post** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 2:51 pm

It?s been a little over a month since I have started working for Satyam and I am lost for words as to what happened to basic work etiquette. Now I am not trying to be on a high horse here as someone who has returned from the US. But seriously, loud bizarre movie songs as ring tones, attending conference calls on a speaker phone knowing it will annoy everyone around you (but you know everyone does this and that too simultaneously, makes me wonder if I am the only one being annoyed), almost makes me feel as if I am sitting in a call center. Mid level project managers who need English 101, how can you be a project manager if you cannot make one sentence in English without a grammatical mistake?
Is this a common scenario in all the IT/Service companies in India or am I just a very unfortunate soul to be witnessing this?

My Roots · Post by **My Roots** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 6:05 pm

Don't know about other etiquette or English but every other person is PMP certified within 5 years. How do they do it? I mean really you need X # of real project management experience and I know some of them were just developers.

PeterGriffin · Post by **PeterGriffin** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 6:59 pm

The reason you see a lot of PMP certified resources is because of the growth in India. Recently, one of my distant relative got her PMP certification. Her boss promised her a PM position and a business trip to the US if she got her PMP certification *and* quite a healthy pay raise.
I tell you these newer generation kids are very focused, smart and aggressive in their career growth ambitions.

I always believe that developers become good PM. In fact, I would make it a core requirement for a PM position. Technical knowledge really helps in understanding the principles of software development and the SDLC cycle. But again, that's just my take on it.

first_post;384898 Mid level project managers who need English 101, how can you be a project manager if you cannot make one sentence in English without a grammatical mistake?
Is this a common scenario in all the IT/Service companies in India or am I just a very unfortunate soul to be witnessing this?

I think it might just be an unfortunate coincidence. PMs are supposedly the ambassadors of the company especially when they go on these out-of-country business trips. I hope the selection process screens the candidates for these skills too.

My Roots · Post by **My Roots** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 7:05 pm

PG, the point is not whether one can do PMP or not but how did they pass the requirement to get certified?
Unless one is faking a project management experience <5 years there is no way they even get qualified and that was my point.

essjay · Post by **essjay** » Tue Apr 26, 2011 10:15 pm

first_post;384898It?s been a little over a month since I have started working for Satyam and I am lost for words as to what happened to basic work etiquette. Now I am not trying to be on a high horse here as someone who has returned from the US. But seriously, loud bizarre movie songs as ring tones, attending conference calls on a speaker phone knowing it will annoy everyone around you (but you know everyone does this and that too simultaneously, makes me wonder if I am the only one being annoyed), almost makes me feel as if I am sitting in a call center. Mid level project managers who need English 101, how can you be a project manager if you cannot make one sentence in English without a grammatical mistake?
Is this a common scenario in all the IT/Service companies in India or am I just a very unfortunate soul to be witnessing this?

Are these folks really managing projects, communicating with clients etc.? Or is it that just have PM titles? Perhaps it is the company's way of providing the perception that people are moving up the ladder. They may be doing this to prevent attrition.

Janu2010 · Post by **Janu2010** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 7:54 am

first_post;384898It’s been a little over a month since I have started working for Satyam and I am lost for words as to what happened to basic work etiquette. Now I am not trying to be on a high horse here as someone who has returned from the US. But seriously, loud bizarre movie songs as ring tones, attending conference calls on a speaker phone knowing it will annoy everyone around you (but you know everyone does this and that too simultaneously, makes me wonder if I am the only one being annoyed), almost makes me feel as if I am sitting in a call center. Mid level project managers who need English 101, how can you be a project manager if you cannot make one sentence in English without a grammatical mistake?
Is this a common scenario in all the IT/Service companies in India or am I just a very unfortunate soul to be witnessing this?

It is not just in India. I think office space in US also is taken over by us Desis and this boorish behavior is very common. I tried many things like pasting notices, changing cubes etc...But I feel this is an occupational hazard in IT industry.

If this will comfort you, I am in the US since 2000 and at that time there were only 3 Indians in that client site. By 2002 their number increased by 100s. Since then which ever client I worked for there were so many Indians that it felt like I was working in India. In the last 2 years the situation has worsened with the economy... it is much like India..work unpaid overtime (I took a FT position with a Desi state govt contractor with outsourced state funded project) and unpaid weekend work.

Looks like TCS , Infosys and Chinese have destroyed the beautiful American workplace as well as American dream.

ahirman · Post by **ahirman** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 9:37 am

My Roots;384917PG, the point is not whether one can do PMP or not but how did they pass the requirement to get certified?
Unless one is faking a project management experience <5 years there is no way they even get qualified and that was my point.

People with bachelors degree can get certified in as small as 3 years. PMP certifcation requires 4500 Hours of project management experience across any or all 5 process groups. As an example, someone who is involved in only monitoring/tracking/reporting project status for 4500 hours (~ 2.2 years) is qualified to become a PM. In fact thats what bulk of PMs do in IT.

PMI has kept the requirements very lose and there are lot of way in which different experiences including those of team leads, module leads etc. can be used to meet requirements.

ahirman · Post by **ahirman** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 9:41 am

essjay;384997Are these folks really managing projects, communicating with clients etc.? Or is it that just have PM titles? Perhaps it is the company's way of providing the perception that people are moving up the ladder. They may be doing this to prevent attrition.

Communication with the client is primarily the responsibility of Onsite PMs and engagement managers. Offshore PMs role is to manage project deliverables, team and resources and ensure compliance with other internal project parameters. Usually there are host of internal tools/softwares to assist a PM.

moneyIsNot_funny · Post by **moneyIsNot_funny** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:46 am

Janu2010;385715

Looks like TCS , Infosys and Chinese have destroyed the beautiful American workplace as well as American dream.

No, American companies's managements destroyed the beautiful American workplace by looking for such cost cutting moves in the first place. Indian, as well as companies from other nations, are only tools in this process visioned by the dreams of the American management. Why do you think outsourcing is still surviving strongly despite all the public clamor against it?

Helios · Post by **Helios** » Fri Jul 15, 2011 1:09 am

first_post;384898Mid level project managers who need English 101, how can you be a project manager if you cannot make one sentence in English without a grammatical mistake?
Is this a common scenario in all the IT/Service companies in India or am I just a very unfortunate soul to be witnessing this?

It is everywhere. The good thing is, these poor souls would not grow beyond their position. Lack of oral and written communication can be a very serious disadvantage beyond this point.