IEEE KW section presents: “Surviving and thriving in today's workplace: A few tips to manage professional development & career security” by Bala Prasanna

Thursday, December 1, 2022 6:00 pm - 6:00 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

The University of Waterloo along with the IEEE KW Section invites you to a seminar: “Surviving and thriving in today's workplace: A few tips to manage professional development & career security” by Bala Prasanna.

Date: December 1, 2022

Time: 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Location: online (see full details below)

Abstract:

Workplace habits and expectations have changed significantly in the last several years. Surviving and thriving depends on your ability to grasp the broader picture and hone some essential skills.

In these days of extreme competition, what is it that makes you get that job or assignment that you are very good at? The invariable answer: when someone like a professor, manager, or peer makes a recommendation or provides a reference, the likelihood of success is much higher than going it alone. Making sure that professors/managers/peers are familiar with your work and personality attributes is crucial to getting desirable results. Consider, for example, starting early on and offering your help or services to professors/manager/peers, and follow through with it—and when the time comes, make a request for a recommendation. The resulting recommendation is much more beneficial just because of your approach to networking. Thus, in order to get something from a network, you are contributing or investing in the network upfront, for a much better outcome. This presentation discusses the why and how of networking internals to increase your chances of success and the quantity and quality of returns.

Likewise, if we do not manage relations with managers and peers in the workplace, we will not have the resources to get our jobs done.  Communication—of all kinds—is an essential part of this management. Can we ask better questions? How do we work with difficult people? Do we always say nice things, but carry a stick? Have we tried talking-up? Are we deadline-passionate, and how do we manage that?

Do you believe that conflict holds creative potential, conflict is unavoidable and common, and conflict and negotiation are central parts of workplace life? If you do, you are already ahead in the game. For most of the remaining folks who get stressed out dreading conflict in the workplace, this presentation offers perspectives on conflict in the workplace and practical approach to handle conflicts or differences. We include discussions on topics such as handling criticism, and how important it is for us to deviate from our comfort zones once in a while to set different expectations for everyone—including ourselves.

We will discuss all this and more with examples and anecdotes. You'll walk away more aware to train yourself to be relevant and successful in today's workplace.

 

Biography:

Bala Prasanna
Mr. Bala Prasanna’s professional career has spanned over 35 years, from academia to technical positions. Mr. Prasanna began his career as an assistant professor at the State University of New York (SUNY) Oswego, and he then spent decades working at AT&T and IBM in senior technical and management roles.

A longtime IEEE volunteer, Mr. Prasanna was recently elected to serve as Director of IEEE Region 1 (Northeastern USA). His term as Director-Elect began this year, and he will take over as Director in 2024. Mr. Prasanna previously served as a Board Member of IEEE-USA and a member of the Board of Governors of IEEE Region 1. He is also proud to be a member of the IEEE HKN Honor Society

Mr. Prasanna cherishes his time talking to students and career professionals, specifically on the importance of career management skills and thriving in the modern workplace. As an IEEE National Speaker, Mr. Prasanna has spoken at colleges and universities across the United States and the world.

Mr. Prasanna’s passions are photography, writing, reading Kannada literature, reading biographies, and meeting people of accomplishment. Mr. Prasanna lives in New Jersey with his wife Jayashree, also a retired computer engineer.

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