24hoursinspired

An uncomplicated game called Ethics

2011-12-28T02:33:00.000-08:00

It started as a simple communication skills exercise, recently, in one of the MBA classes. My idea was to explain how the communication model works. I thought of explaining the concept through hands on experience. Logical enough –Demonstrating learning works better than talking about it!
The participants in their early twenties, prim and proper in their blazers, flashing ties and polished shoes were gung ho about the activity. I divided them into groups and instructed them the rules of the game.
 Rule number 1 – You have to nominate a volunteer and send him/her to me
 Rule number 2 – You have to follow to my instructions strictly
 Rule number 3 (to the entire group, except the volunteers who had come in first) – Whatever be it, you cannot talk with the person you have sent as your representative
Everyone agreed to the rules stated.
Then the second set of instructions started.
 Instruction 1 – You need to send one more volunteer in front who is going to take further instructions
 Instruction 2 (to the second set of volunteers)– Whatever be it, you cannot as a question/talk to the first set of volunteers
 Instruction 3 – If they instruct you something, you cannot make notes of it. You take the instructions as understood, go and give it back to your team who will do as per your instructions
 Instruction 4 - Please be fair and honest while playing this game
Here too, it was easy to come to an agreement.
The game was easy. The first set of volunteers was given a design of a robot in a sheet of paper. There was a rule for them though. They had to give instructions only in geometric shapes and not any other way. Also, they had to give one instruction at a time.
The second set of volunteers were supposed to only listen, take whatever they understood and then go back and give the same to the team which was waiting to draw the instructions provided.
The game started. Excitement pumped in.
The volunteers started as instructed but in the next 30 seconds, everyone started breaking the rules. There were some of them from the second volunteers who started writing/drawing in their hands, some of them started asking questions, some of them started taking two to three instructions at the same time and some of them, who had the paper, started showing the design to their team members.
The game ended with every team’s performance being called a disqualification.
Asked on why they took the route of unfair playing, when they were instructed otherwise, they said that as MBA graduates, they believed in “Smart Work.” They believe that when it can be done through the easier way, why should we do it the difficult way. And also many of the teams justified by saying that when everyone was doing it, why not us?
These were the immediate feedback that ran in each of these groups. The discussions ran back and forth, to the ways of the world, to how they would be left behind if they did not play a little unfair and the team subtly hinting the finer point in one statement, i.e. - When the entire world is not fair, why should we be?
The 21 year olds had an opinion that doing it the uninstructed way/bluffing their way to earn some points, playing it unscrupulously was SMART work. They had a belief that they would be left out if they did not take the route. They felt that if they had to do it the “as instructed way” they would lose the game. And they did not want to lose it at any cost. Be the cost of ethics or principles!
This small activity was quite an eye opener. The idea of winning the game by hook or by crook at 21 years is a dangerous thought. The mind is just realizing the significance of the rights and wrongs and feeding the idea of winning by any means is scary. There are odds that they with the learning imbibed on the functioning of the world; they would be tempted to lap up the crook than the hook!
And this perspective is definitely symptomatic. Symptomatic of what it could lead to if the values of honesty, restraint, ethics and morals are not entrenched in the psyche of the gen next!
There are some questions to reflect upon -
 What would happen to these youngsters when they pass out of their “educated spaces” and go into the world with their first thoughts and actions being of “cutting corners and shortchanging”?
 What decision would they make if they are told to decide between the ethical values that they embody and the temptation called greed?
 What would they take up if they were to choose between - “short term pain – long term gain” and “long term pain and short term gain”?
 Is there a corrosion of non tangible values and good practices amongst a large part of the youthful psyche that success amounts to smart work and smart work means bending a lot of rules?

In a time and space when there are enough news and information on the bad practices worldwide and the expose thereafter surrounding us, intangibles like ethics, morals, uprightness, principles, values, self restraint have become some of the only things that defines us as “valued” individuals.

The way forward
The way forward might not be simple, but it is definitely worth a try. What we need to emphasize to the 18, 19,20s and the 21s around us is that it is very cool not to cheat, it is great to be principled, it is important to carry certain values of hard work and fair play that they believe in, it is an amazing high to say a no to bad practices that someone entices them with and it is definitely an inspiration to be ethical when they are tempted by the tentacles of temptation.
The youngsters around have to be made realize that, if they believe in something that is ethically and morally right, irrespective of what the world says, it is heroic and inspirational to stand by their beliefs.
Finally, they have to be reinforced that “SMART work and UNETHICAL work” does not mean the same. If these words are looked up in the dictionary they would realize that the two are almost exactly opposite!

Living Up. Not Giving up!

2011-09-09T17:42:00.000-07:00

Question - What does Kentucky Fried Chicken and Robert Bruce, the legendary king of Scotland have in common?

Answer - Both of them are greats in their own right.

The first one has given the world a recipe which has heightened the value and the taste of the ordinary chicken and the other one has given the world a wonderful bedtime story to marvel and get inspired from. The observations on the determination of a spider to reach the top of the wall which further motivated him to not give up is what legendary stories are made up of.

These stories, amazing in their own contexts brings to the ordinary people one of the most essential lessons of life and living – The value, importance and the necessity of living up and never giving up!
There is a fascinating story behind the rise of Colonel Sanders, the old man who never forgets to smile at you as you get your order of the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) bucket. At the age of 40, he was committed to make the ordinary tasting chicken taste extraordinary. The idea behind the endeavor came from the chicken that his mother used to prepare during his childhood days.

He had learnt that she made a concoction of herbs and spices, blend it with the chicken, deep fry it and thereby heighten the taste of the ordinary chicken. He tried the experiment. Not having enough money to start his outlet, he went around knocking doors, requesting people to buy the new version of fried chicken. The first door rejected, so did the second door, the third door was as stiff as the first and the process continued for a long time. No one wanted to buy the chicken made by Colonel Sanders until one day, after days of knocking around there was someone gave in to the temptation.
He tried and he spread the word. The rest they say is history. And what a history it has been!

King Robert Bruce and the spider story, though a cliché, is another fascinating story. The king is defeated six times when he tries to conquer his lost territory. The sixth time is so bad that he has to find shelter in a cave. Exhausted in body and spirit, lying in the cave he observes a small spider trying to climb the wall. The spider tries once and fails. It tries the second time. The result is the same. The sixth time, the spider drops to the floor. It tries again and behold, the seventh time, it tastes success. The spider conquers the wall on the seventh attempt!
Robert Bruce, inspired from the spider’s determination readies himself for the seventh attempt. He collects his small band of army, tells them of the spider story, inspires them to try once again and the result was there to see. Robert Bruce conquered Scotland and made history. And what a history it has been!
These are just two stories from the millions of stories from across the world who have shown the world the necessity of living up and never giving up!

Imagine yourself in the place of Robert Bruce or Colonel Sanders. How many doors would you knock before giving up? How many times would you attack before throwing up your hands in resignation? The making of a true champion is when he/she gets up after every fall, stronger and more determined to conquer the goal.

Champions have minds of steel. There is a resolve to fight it and fight it hard. An attitude to look at failure as a comma and not a full stop! They stand by their grounds and stick to their convictions. True champions are aware that sets backs would come in their pursuit of their ambitions, but more importantly realize that it is the attitude to get up and start moving which matters at the end of the day.
People find them crazy, some criticize them, some level their ambitions as foolhardy while some merely sit in the audience and watch. For a true champion, what matters is not what the others say and think about them. They are driven by their inherent passion towards a target they have set for themselves.

A story goes that when Mukesh Ambani, one of the richest people of India wanted to start a telecom branch (Reliance Telecom) everyone told Sunil Bharti Mittal, the Chariman of Bharti Enterprises (Airtel fame) that since Reliance was getting into the bandwagon of telecom, it would be foolish to compete with them. Reliance had the resource and deep pockets to buy out or erase out anyone who stood in their way. But Sunil Mittal stood by his grounds. He and his team worked day in night out to see to it that the brand does not take a hit.

The Reliance mobile, when it started, was a big hit, but as time progressed, Airtel made some smart moves, Reliance telecom made some errors and the results were there to see. Today, Airtel is the biggest telecom brand in India with the maximum number of people using it. Of late, they have ventured into the African markets too, which an eye to consolidate their position not only as a brand of the sub-continent but also a global brand.

That’s the mark of a true champion. The never say die attitude. The inner challenge to face whatever comes his/her way and to carve a destiny with all the roadblocks that come in the path of progress is the stature of a true champion for what is not important is .
The bottom line is summed by an interesting quote which I read somewhere – “It does not matter if you fail, what matters is you not giving up, you getting up when down, dusting yourself and moving towards the goals that you have set for yourself.

The Inspired Newsletter - 2011

2010-12-30T21:15:00.000-08:00

Do you understand what's written? - Get Inspired

2010-12-17T15:34:00.000-08:00

12 years is a good age to have curiosity at its peak. The boy would be approximately 12 years. Sipping my tea at the nearby kiosk and wading through the pages of the morning newspaper, a hand forbade me from turning to the next page.

In amazement, I looked up, just to realize that it was the small boy who worked as the help at the kiosk. His eyes were curious. He wanted to make a clue of what was happening around the world through the sheets of paper I was holding. Childhood curiosity, I thought and gave him the paper.

Standing next was a gentleman of around 30-35 years, also sipping his morning coffee.

Observing the small guy and recognizing him as one of the helpers at the kiosk, he mockingly remarked, “So what do you understand of the English that is written?”
The boy did not bother looking at him. He was constantly staring at the page of the newspaper which was filled with visuals and a bit of text interspersed.

The man prodded further, “Do you know something or are you just staring at the paper?”

The boy did not utter a word. He was concentrating like a Zen monk.
Slowly pointing at a picture, he remarked “Subash Chandra Bose”. He pointed at the next one and said, “Mahatma Gandhi”; looked at the picture at the bottom of the page which was the cover page of a recently released book and remarked, “Dhiru Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani”.

He ran his fingers through a line and slowly started reading out a word, alphabet by alphabet…C O N F U S I O N...and gleefully remarked, “confusion” in the best possible accent he could articulate.

I looked at the kid and also immediately looked at the older man.
The kid was still trying to grasp the letters and pronounce it, oblivion of who was watching him and what was being said.

The man, in the meanwhile, looked at me and started looking elsewhere. For him this was a shocker. It was unexpected. A ragged looking guy working as a help in a small kiosk, beating the blues out was extremely “embarrassing.” What the man forgot to realize, first and foremost, was that he, underestimating the book by its cover was an extremely embarrassing thought!

There is a potential in the child. Working in an environment that is an anti thesis of “appropriateness,” yet popping his eyes in between someone’s newspaper without the fear of being taunted is something remarkable!
This potential and the likes however have to be lapped up and tapped.

There are many stories of the kind which all of us see in our daily lives. Stories that spark inspiration, stories that motivates a thought, stories that make us believe in the power of the human want. However, many a times, it just remains a story to tell…

There is huge learning for “grown-ups” in examples like these. To be specific, there are three parts that needs to be kept a watch of -
1. Thoughts
2. Verbalizing these thoughts
3. Action

As grown-ups we need to watch all the three to make sure that the coming generation has enough role models to look up to and be inspired from. A loose thought could lead to loose banter which could prove detrimental to a growing individual’s thought process.

For instance, just recently, in one of the colleges where I conduct Personality Development Programs, while sitting with the principal in his chamber and discussing the aspect of “molding” his students, a girl walked in with an apologetic face.
The principal recognizing her and her crime, immediately latched on to scolding her for not attending college regularly. The one way communication went for about 10 minutes with the choicest of words like ‘stupid, hopeless, good for nothing’ used repeatedly.

After the banter was over, the girl meekly opened up to say that she wanted to leave college because she was not at all comfortable with people around her and started sharing her experiences with the principal.
I was a silent observer, with the principal looking at me sometime for reinforcement on his scolding and the girl looking at me sometimes wishing that I play umpire between the two. Another 10 minutes, the principal told her to go back to the class and attend and that he would see the matter tomorrow.

And then we got back to discussing about “molding” students.

It could not have been more ironic. There was a chance to ‘mould’ the girl right there in the 20 minutes we sat talking and listening to her. There could have been a “better” way to address the issue. “Hopeless” and “Good for nothing” defeats the entire purpose of ‘molding’ the next generation!

The third element to the jigsaw is the ingredient of “Action.” This could be a challenging one. However, this element would be simple if the thoughts are aligned in the right “context.” This would provides an easy way for the right “content” which would inspire the individual as well as the youngster towards progressive “action”.
It should not be difficult for grown-ups to comprehend this. What’s required is perspective, approach and the intent!

The power of collective action – Showcasing Nepal’s might

2010-05-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

They say that anything in excess is not good for health. Too much of eating could lead to foul play in the digestive system, too less eating could lead one to body crunch, too less of sleep would make one an insomniac, too much of sleep would make one a laggard, too less of talk would make someone a social bore and too much of it would lead to verbal diahorroea…

Likewise too much of protests and strikes could also be extremely foolhardy and could make one lose the fight of the might. Take for instance Nepal, one of the most beautiful nations in the world, which for the last few years continues to be in a state of continuous turmoil. Not that anybody wants it, but because of a few extremely self- indulgent "leaders", is living under the shadows of its beautiful memories rather than the dreams of a hopeful future…

However, that was what was happening till 8,May,2010. Interestingly, on the 8th of May, Nepal seems to have taken its first Tiammen Square step. As I read the Times of India, a very interesting piece of news hit my eyes. Generally, when it is some news of the country it is either of the “Nepal that was’ or the “Nepal which lies under the frightful shadows of communism gone wrong.”
But on the day, there was something to chew upon.

Not too pleasant for the people who bear the brunt of disintegration but for the power of collective action and the hope of integration, subtly and slowly getting into the national consciousness of the people of the country.

The Times of India in its "Global page" had the news - “Maoists bow to pressure, end strike.”

Any other time, the pressure would have been from external parties, China, US, India et al. However this time, the pressure was created to stop the strike from people within the country who apparently came out in huge droves, opposing the ways and means of the strike and to bring back the country to normalcy. The newspaper stated that thousands of people belonging to business class, lawyers, doctors, academics, journalists, engineers, artists and the likes asked the Maoists to end the strike and bring life to normalcy.
It did work and how!
The ones who thought that they could not be tamed by anyone, external or internal bowed down to the pressure of the common folks and gave up. This is a terrific example of the power of collective action. An example that exemplifies that the more united people stand the stronger the voice and the action becomes. An example that the people of the country collectively want to ride on the bus of tomorrow and this time, they are openly supporting progress..progress for themselves, the community and the nation....

Hope that the country, time an again, revises these symbolisms to make sure that it gets back the beauty that Nepal once was.

Thomas Friedman, in his book "The World is Flat" states – There are some nations which live in their "memories" of yesterday and some in their "dreams" of tomorrow.

Hopefully the transition of Nepal as a nation quickly moves from “memories to dreams.”

On Education: The "Me" versus "Him" syndrome

2010-04-09T22:39:00.000-07:00

Simplification is great. However, oversimplification could be a cause of concern, especially when it comes to the area of education.

During our growing years, it was emphasized that all subjects are equally important, including Hindi, thereby, there was a holistic understanding of concepts and theories explained in the classroom. It is another thing that I still do not know where to vomit out the Pythagoras theorem which was considered a sure shot 10 mark question. Unfortunately, during my board exam, the paper setters would have thought otherwise and omitted the much acclaimed Pythagoras theorem and replaced with a smaller one. This too I skipped. It had taken me sleepless nights to by heart the theorem but to no avail. So still looking for a space to vent out my rot knowledge of the same!

We in the field of education and learning, especially soft skills and personality development, constantly harp on the importance of smart skills with many even questioning the structured format of education system. The debate is going to continue till Armageddon.

There are amongst us who believe that there should be a healthy blend of syllabus and soft skills for the holistic development of an individual, whereas, there are a few who openly challenge protocol.

Interestingly, this morning while going for my regular walk saw an advert calling for kids to join a summer camp on public speaking. The banner was a good one. The company had taken the pains to show statistics on how the kid’s confidence level grows with his/her ability to speak well in front of a group. It was a well thought marketing ploy. As far as we Indians are concerned, we love statistics because we don’t understand it and hate it for the same reason. But definitely the ad was worth to catch the eyeballs.

A little further up, saw another advert by the same company calling on for the same program. This had different lines though. Curiosity and the urge to read made me stop my track. For the next minute was flummoxed with the advertisement, a bit of shock hit somewhere inside me.

What will you do with the biology, Chemistry, Maths, geography, Economics that you read in class? What would you do by understanding circumference, tropic of cancer, equador, line of xyz, blah blah blah…

What is required for you is self confidence. What is required is the ability to speak in front of an audience

Calling in students from 6-12 years for a Speaking course by…….starting….blah blah

To say the least, I was horrified. How could education be a “me” or “him”? How could it be “this” or “that”? How could it be “mathematics” or “personality development”???

This is something we in the field of education should realize. It is never and it should never be they “this” or “that” syndrome, especially when it comes to education. It should always be this “and’ that factor inculcated in the minds of impressionable aged individuals. The germination of these thoughts could lead to catastrophic results. What if the kid is excellent when it comes to taking but people realize that he/she has no knowledge to contribute? Would we have an Abdul Kalam, Narayan Murthy, Kiran Bedi and the likes if the focus was not on both the aspects?

Yes, there is a point that the current ‘method” of education is not that impressive with the teachers not being innovative enough with their style, but does that mean the ‘substance’ is not worth it. After an age, the kids would look at pursuing their dreams in the areas of their interest. If someone wants to become a scientist, maths and science fundamentals are a prerequisite. If he/she wants to get into land an environment, geography fundamentals are a much needed requirement. So where is the question of the knowledge not coming of any use.

It is rather important for us, as grown ups to give a right perspective of education to the blooming generation or else we will have a generation of youngsters belting out irrelevant rap songs in front of an uninterested audience!

Of fruit juices and togetherness: Get inspired

2010-02-25T21:20:00.000-08:00

I love drinking fruit juice. It is something which is refreshing to the core, better than any cola available in the market and second only to water. With great devotion, I make it a practice to drink a glass of fruit juice every day. Sometimes, pineapple, sometimes watermelon and sometimes, even a glass of lime juice with sugar satiates my devotion. And when something is a religion, there ought to be a religious place too. Like any positively fanatic bloke who does not miss his/her routine will tell you – if they drink tea everyday, they make it a point to go to the same place they do, if they smoke cigarette, its déjà vu every day. People around might change, however the place remains the same….well most of the times.

So there happens to be a juice drinking hole for me too. The guy who deals from the counter is sweet, he prepares juice in a jiffy and more importantly it’s a very price conscious space. This is something to admire in a highly expensive place like Bangalore. That day too, like any other days, it was a regular juice drinking day. I walked into the store and the guy was smiling and courteous as ever. Like any other days, there were people over the other side of the counter waiting for their glasses to quench their thirst. Incidentally, on that day there were three children standing for their turn at the juice counter. The beauty about children is that they are champions at giving accidental and genuine smiles. I looked at them and one of them smiled at me which I responded back with a question. “Hello, what’s your name?” “Sayaad,” said the child. Encouraged, I asked the second and the third fellow, “And what’s yours?” “Bala and Saddam,” quipped each one of them.

The bonhomie was good until the juice centre guy leapt out with his thought, “Saddam? You should be in Pakistan. What are you doing here?” The kids who were about 12 years looked puzzled with the humor the juice guy tried to put across. It left a sour note on my thought process. After a while, we parted, however the statement made me think about the genesis of the divisive thoughts that germinate and bloom into becoming full fledged machines of negative machination.

Imagine the 12 year kid who came from an average household ingraining a thought that he should not be in India but should be in our neighboring country because of his name? Imagine the kid while growing up keeps the thought in his head and with the support of a few fundamentalists, conditions himself to the thought of being a “non-Indian” in his own country and decides to take power in his hands? Imagine, the kid as he grows up is unknowingly fed with negativism of the hate parody that runs over newspapers, television and other media channels and this thought keeps running in his head again and again? Imagine!

The thoughts might be over exaggerated. However who knows? The most impressionable age for a kid is while growing up which is around 12-13 years.

Forgive me for sounding preachy, but a request to everyone who reads this – ‘Let us not try to, even in jest, make divisive comments that would unbalance the fabric of a growing mind. Let’s give it a shot to “me and him” and not “me or him”.

A pat on the back: Get Inspired

2010-02-14T23:18:00.000-08:00

I had expected to meet a lot of people in the convention which I attended recently. People from all domains and designations would be a part of the show is what was guaranteed. However, meeting someone who could be a game changer in terms of appreciating and acknowledging was definitely not on the cards.

The gentleman whose reference is given in this note is someone who you would not forget in your entire life.

The reason is plain simple: In this time and age when life makes you run faster than you think, and where people do not have the energy, time and patience to listen with utmost intent, here was our man who had all the time in the world to acknowledge the goodness that each of the people whom he met carried.

He was in his late 60’s, a retired major from the Indian Army, extremely gregarious, very jovial, confidence sprouting from each word that he spoke, but also very gentle and involving in his approach towards others. I happened to be a part of his energy and he did not spare time to look at the small facts I carried within and outside me and appreciated me to the hilt. It was the same for someone else too and then the other. All genuinely!

The gentleman in all the time that he spent there did touch quite a few lives, appreciating and encouraging everyone around him, in the meanwhile giving someone peals of wisdom to digest. A genuine nod was given to some, a gentle pat to some and a warm hug to a few, making strangers feel and believe of the special connect that they shared with him. There definitely is a lot to learn from the man. Are we making our notes and singing it too?

Uncluttering Information binge: Get inspired

2010-02-06T00:56:00.000-08:00

The other day, I happened to be a part of a Media seminar organized by a prominent college as a participant. It was a neat show and the organizers had invited a lot of biggies from the industry. The start was interesting with the hosts taking the audience by storm with their hilarious repartee. So was the introduction speech by the chairperson and the person after that. Then came the lead speaker, one of the directors of a leading media and publishing house. A young and dynamic professional, he was able to keep the audience glued by the insider's story of the media. Demographically, the audience were in their early 20's, all bubbling and budding media cubs. Excitement ran through the room, sometimes with stories he shared which were contemplative, some funny, while some just a teaser of the day-in,day-out happenings at the media house.

For 45 minutes he kept speaking with the audience showing their interests through their expressions! The gentleman talked about a sea of thoughts, some connected some unconnected, some relevant, some non relevant to the topic but yet interesting. At the end of the presentation, he opened the house for questions. One of the thoughts that ran through my head was "if-i-have-to-ask" where do I start from and where does it end? Reason, his thoughts were all in fluid, jumping quickly from one story to another. So at the end the questions asked were more or less bordering between sense and the other part of it!

It was so easy to realize that out of the 100 percent of inputs, 80% was information and the rest was application. What do we do with the information that we already know? What do we do with the stories of great escapades when the learning has been minimal? What do we do when at the end of the presentation we are clueless about the 5 major points highlighted in the session?

The point here is not about the speaker but about how the audience should be able to capitalize on the information that is passed on. The best part of information binge has been that there is too much to dig from..The Achilles heels also remains the same!

The art of Enthusiasm - Get inspired

2010-01-30T18:44:00.000-08:00

There are times when you feel truly inspirational and there are times when you feel that you are not stretching yourself strong enough. When there is a rush of blood, when there is an urge for you to perform something that gives you a kick on the stomach, enthusiasm is an easy fodder. You need not try too much to pump up the hormones to get yourself going. You are at your best of thoughts and moods and thereby comes the truest spirits of stretching your potentials.

However, there is the flip side to the coin. When you are down and feel out in life because of the circumstances that come your way, what is that you do? How do you generate the enthusiasm and pump blood into your soul and get going? How do you show to yourself and the rest of the world that you are down but not out yet? How do you bring back the art of enthusiasm and commitment back to the drawing table?

The answer might not be simple. However, it is not impossible too. About 2 months back, I happened to be a part of one of the biggest show of the human grit and dedication in Bangalore. In this jamboree of positive atmosphere, lay the answer to these questions. The World Sporting federation froze upon Bangalore as the destination to showcase one of the most spectacular shows called the IWAS (International Wheelchair and Amputee Society) Meet where about 44 countries participated. The beauty of the show was the spirit and determination of these athletes to excel and succeed in whatever they do. Some of them did not have a leg, some both, some of them had an arm gone and some both. However, the kind of excitement they brought to the table was extremely contagious and marvelously spirited.

During my interaction with them, there came a common thread that wove them together and helped them get past their own limitations. That was the “Spirit of Purpose.” Each one of them interviewed carried the spirit of purpose with them to be the best in whatever they did. They had their own set of realistic goals of winning medals and making their country, their family and themselves proud and they were working day and night towards churning their dreams into reality.

So if you are not enthused about doing things that are supposed to be done, think about your “Spirit of Purpose.” This is going to get you up and running.

Have you been verbed yet? – get inspired

2010-01-23T03:25:00.000-08:00

This is a word I have taken the liberty of inventing. Verbed! And the catch phrase. Are you Verbed enough?
Now, the Wren and Martin explains verb as the action word. Verb is inspiring. It is exciting. The reason is plain simple: It inspires you to stand and deliver. It propels you to act, thereby transferring you from an “arm chair dud” to “get your hands dirty” dude.
It is verb that motivates you and gets you to be a part of the change that you want to see around as well as for yourself. For action is always inspiring.
The greatest of individuals who have transformed themselves to become role models have used verb to bring about humongous difference in and around them.

If you look at yourself, you would realize that all your accomplishments through the years have been because somewhere you pushed yourself beyond the sphere of your thoughts and got your hands dirty to achieve them. Action or verb then is the word for success.

Now let’s move a step ahead. If verb is the action word, verbed is “accelerated action”. In this day and age where speed and accuracy are the hallmark for excellence, the usage of verb is accelerated. For instance, if you could complete a task in 1 hour with accuracy and speed, with "verbed" as your mission statement, you should be able to accomplish the same in 45 minutes time, the remaining 15 minutes to attack another task and get it "verbed"!
Verbed gives you a reason to think about extreme utilization of resources in the best possible time with the same amount of accuracy and precision.

Be "verbed" this year. Am sure its going to give you rewards in plenty!

Uneducated and brilliant: Get inspired

2010-01-14T00:11:00.000-08:00

He would be around 25 years or maybe 26. On a cold Wednesday afternoon, when the rest of the town was enveloped in the confines of heated shelter, he was all by himself digging earth and removing the unwanted weed from the crop that he had planted. Passing by the place, I waved at him for which he responded and invited me for a small chat up. I happen to know the guy for the last several years and guessed that he wanted to catch up on my progress in life. Knowing him, he comes across as someone who is not very qualified “education wise”. After a small discussion on my whereabouts, the focus shifted to his business and he started opening up.

With a modest disposition he narrated – “As you know, I am not educated and do not understand how it works in the text books. After trying my hands in several things, I finally settled on agriculture as my occupation. People first found my decision confusing. Some suggested that driving a vehicle was a way for a sustained living, some said that I should try for a government job, some suggested that I should start a small fair price shop while some just laughed at my decision. I thought about it and realized that these things would not give me a sustained interest in the long run. Playing with mud and watching plants grow has been my lobby (read hobby) and for the last 3 years, have been doing just that.

In my first year, tried my hand with planting flowers. The yield was good but due to lack of knowledge and technical guidance (when to harvest them) I lost about 60,000 plants. Each plant when sold would have fetched about 1.50 rupees in the market. That year, I learnt a lot about farming, though was an expensive one”

Going with the flow he continued, “The next year I gathered some money, invested half the amount in flowers and half in vegetables. As I already had experienced planting flowers, the collection of the same after the yield was decent, while the vegetables were a so-so affair. That year, half of the cabbage planted rot due to some disease. That year, I learnt everything about controlling diseases by exposing myself to workshops and talking to people in the field.

The third year, I looked at flowers and also crops that could give me a good return on investment. So when everyone was cultivating cabbage and cauliflower, I looked at growing broccoli, which fetches about 5-6 times the returns than the two. The yield was good and so were the returns.

In the meanwhile, I have also developed certain faming equipments which I intend to produce on a large scale for the benefit of farmers around. With the research done in the last 3 years, I intend to also bring out brochures which could help the farmers to cultivate crops in a better way. Do not know if I can bring it out in English as I do not know how to write,” smilingly he concluded.

With nothing much to add, I offered to help him with writing, editing and printing of the brochures in English, if he wanted, said a goodbye and moved ahead wishing him heights of success and wondering on the genius he has been.”

Of friendships and deep relations: Get inspired

2010-01-11T22:46:00.000-08:00

How do you connect a politician, a film star and an industrialist? Nine out of ten people would say that the common bond between them is either one of the state sponsored award function or a glitzy night where all the three gather to celebrate their successes and victories on a cultural extravaganza.
Nine out of ten times you would prove yourself right and the one time you would miss the bull’s eye would be because of a real life story of 3 individuals who are connected by a simple yet the most powerful bond – the bond of friendship and deep relationships.

You could call Amar Singh, one of the most notable politicians, by any name if you want – a corrupt man, a fixer, an opportunist or whatever you like. However, you cannot take away from him one of the virtues that he guards so passionately, i.e. his relationship with Amitabh Bachan (the superstar of the millennium) and Anil Ambani(of the ADAG fame) and their relationship towards him.

I remember watching one of the interviews given by Amar Singh long time back where he referred his relationship with the two akin Krishna and his dear friend Sudama. He then talked about the bonding that he has had with the Bachan family and also Anil Ambani, referring them to an extension of his life.

He openly stated about his relationship with the two spanning decades and also how it was his relationship with the two of them which made his life complete. The reciprocation from the duo also has been equal if not more. There was news during the time that Anil Ambani has in the last minute cancelled the Annual General Meeting of his company to be beside the critical Amar Singh who had been hospitalized due to severe congestions in the heart. The tales of Amar Singh and Amitabh Bachan are legendary with both of them swearing by the allegiance of each other.

Recently, there was Amar Singh again, after a gap of a couple of years talking about his favorite subject: friendship; especially with the two of them. He “emotionalized” about how he has been held by the two during his thick and thin, how he finds Amitabh as an extension of himself and how Abhishek (Bachan) whom he treats like his own son, should burn his funeral pyre, once he is gone forever.

He also narrated how Abhishek publicly cried in one of the functions when Amar Singh was critical. There were some heartfelt statements that Amar Singh confessed during the interview which made me wonder about the significance of the bond that the three of them have created with each other. The bonding of several decades seemed getting stronger as the years progressed.

Amar Singh definitely brings credibility to the quote “If you have three genuine friends who will be there through your thick and thins of your life, you are living a blessed life”. The rest of the world calls him what it may but the man at the end of the day knows where to go to and whom to pour his feelings to. This is an important lesson that their relationship teaches.

If you look at their positions, all the three of them live in the most highly decorated spaces where there are more pretensions than reality. Hence it becomes highly difficult for them to look at who’s yours and who’s the other. Each step taken, each thought shared aloud, each emotion portrayed becomes a trap if not treaded properly.

In a situation like that the three of them are very safely enclosed in an undefined bonding of deeper relationships, trust and friendliness.

You might not be as popular as the people mentioned on this column or might not have the kind of media scrutiny that they enjoy or disparage but the lessons that these guys teach us is the value of having a few “great” friends whom you can call yours.
You might be the most outgoing of spirits, making friends at the touch of a fly on the ground or the most social of people, but still there is a question you must ask yourself a you contemplate on deep binding and friendship – Do I have three people who I can call my truest friends?

I am sure you will have more than that or…….??

Laughing till it hurts - Get inspired

2010-01-05T18:40:00.000-08:00

You have to meet Raman Roy to understand and actually feel the meaning of the phrase "LAUGH TILL IT HURTS". To give you a little backgrounder on Raman, he has one of the most expressive faces that you could have ever come across. With broad forehead, twinkling eyes and a smile that touches your rawest nerve, he is someone you could hardly miss. An absolute delight to watch. And the best thing, he laughs a lot. He laughs so much that his happiness literally hurts him.
I chanced upon Raman on my train journey from Bangalore to West Bengal. For the uninitiated, this is one of the longest and the most populated train junctions that you would have experienced in India. The Bangalore-Guwahati express, as it is aptly named is easily one of the most congested trains you would have traveled. Reason: The increase in the number of people from the North East coming to southern shores for better opportunities. Thereby, it is no surprise that people traveling in the train, either ways, many-a-times, do not get reservations and have to adjust with co- passengers or squat their way to their destination.
Raman was among the squatting ones; maybe had booked tickets at the last moment, paid a couple of hundred rupees to the T.T.E, who generously gave him a place to sit next to the toilet, very close to the entrance door.
He would be about 4 years old and was traveling up with his parents. With no hesitation to make himself comfortable, he would easily be one of the happiest kids I have seen. The humdrum of human traffic least bothered him, neither did the smell emanating from the toilets take away his glee. He was busy being happy in his own world, just like any other regular kid - But Raman was different.

People passed by his side. Some acknowledged his presence, some just walked by. For the ones who acknowledged, he gave them a "i-made-your-day" smile and for the ones who did not, he still smiled.

Having a berth next to his resting place, I had great pleasure watching Raman and his simple ways of extracting pleasures from life. There was something extremely attractive about the kid. Driven by his fun and glee, I walked up to Raman, smiled at him and we hit it off instantly. It was more of him hitting off than me trying to hit it off with him. That was his charm. We bonded and started playing a game that we invented instantly. I clapped twice and gave me a high five and he clapped twice and another high five(So much for a game:)
3 minutes into the game both of us totally into it, Raman laughing and at the same time making a strange face of pain. When suddenly, Raman's father touched my shoulder and said that Raman should not laugh too much because it hurt him badly.
The 4 year child was returning home after an open heart surgery and it hurt him when he had a hearty laugh. I patted Raman on the cheek and moved towards my berth, wondering the irony of life and living.

Lesson learnt:

As someone said "Life is not about the number of years that you put in it but the life that you put in these years"

Post script: A kid who has had an open heart surgery yet tries to lead a life by pumping as much of happiness as possible definitely has a few lessons to teach everyone of us.

For the ones who question: Some people might say that a 4 year old kid would not know about open heart surgery and the risk involved. For them, the only thing I can say is that the kid "knows the Pain yet laughs".

From the football field - Get Inspired

2009-12-12T19:18:00.000-08:00

A couple of years back I chanced upon a very interesting article on the potential of an individual to create electricity with the energy he carries on the field. If my memory serves me right, it said that Wayne Rooney runs so much on a football ground and carries so much of an intensity that if the energy that he carries in a single football match is to be tapped and harnessed, it would possibly give 15 minutes of electricity! That's the kind of energy the man carries, is what researches proclaim.
Researches are always an interesting "trivia," so I did sometimes bring this aspect up in some coffee table discussions, either to sometimes pep up the boring discussions or sometimes to come across a smart Alec. The first one, I confess worked better than the second one! But that's besides the point.
Last evening I happened to watch the man create magic on the field. Though the team lost by a goal, but there was Wayne Rooney trying every attempt to score and make a chance. To confess, I have never been a great fan of watching sports on TV. Last evening though was different. Maybe everyone at home was watching football, so I too sat through. And instantly Rooney was an attraction.

He made the attempts, several times and a little more but what was extremely fascinating about him was his great ability to assist others to score goals. How he plays was a great lesson to learn for teamwork and personal craftsmanship.

The things Wayne Rooney did -

1. He gives 200 percent on the field
2. He "touch passes" which means he is always looking at a chance to pass to someone who has a ready chance to score
3. He dribbles through a sea of players and does not let anyone take the ball from him
4. He attempts to score goals whenever he gets an opportunity
5. He exudes raw passion and the spirit to win in every move that he makes

Lessons to be learnt -

1. Passion, Spirit to win and 200 percent in whatever you do is the hallmark of steaming success
2. Team is what makes you. Try to "touch pass" at every opportunity available. It is going to take you a long way
3. Try to utilize and capitalize on the opportunities that you get
4. Work from your strengths and use your strengths to the maximum
5. Be crazily passionate about what you do. It shows on your face and on your performance too!

The power of involvement - Get inspired

2009-12-09T21:07:00.000-08:00

Three things happened in this morning. Somewhere all of them are connected. And all of them leading to the power of involvement. Let me take each one into perspective -

My friend's story

1. A very good friend of mine is amazingly enthusiastic about her dream of starting a learning and development organization that would cater to the holistic upbringing of school going kids. Her rationale about starting the same is very simple and effective. Because they are in an age and stage which is impressionable, why don't we look at hitting them (and hard to top it up) and drive home the values of life and living. Appreciate. The amazing thing is that she is someone who is always open to suggestions and invites participation from all quarters, mulls over it and gives her perspective to any issue.

That's case no 1.

2. This morning as I was browsing through the business networking site www.linkedin.com, I came across an extremely interesting question of online training vis-a-vis offline/classroom training. The question was excellent and highly relevant and for me and thereby was inspired to comment on the same. The question posed - Are offline soft skills training more productive than online training programs?

My answer. Yes,

1. Easier feedback
2. Varied learning
3. Interactiveness
4. Experiential learning
5. Humans in general appreciate more involvement offline than online

That's case no 2.

3. Sometimes, I happen to walk up to the barber's shop for a shave. Today was one such morning and what a nice time it was at the shop. If you realize, in India, the most amount of discussions in a closed get together happens in a barber's shop and the topics discussed are extremely contemporary. The topic of the morning was "formation of Telengana", an extremely relevant topic for the day and which could further change the map of India (the local Copenhagen debate of sorts).

The beauty of the barber's shop is that everyone, after a certain point in time involves himself in the discussion. So there was this gentleman who exactly knew everything about everything, another one who started talking about 15 other regions which will now divide itself into states, there was this other gentleman who knew about the itinerary of KCR (the leader who is leading the Telengana movement) as if he was his personal assistant or his best buddy. There was another gentleman who brought in Tamil history and compared it with Telengana. In the muddle of discussions, the barber was playing the facilitator. He was quietly and deftly handling comments and asking questions that would arouse more discussions. In the meanwhile, my shave got over and unfortunately so did the discussions!

That was case number 3

Now adding Case 1 + case2 + Case3 - all of it comes to the same platform.
The power of involvement.
The more the involvement, the more and many a times, the better the results can be expected.
In Case 1, my friend involved/involves several thought processes and takes their opinions on cases. This tremendously helps her to concertize her judgment on any matter related to her dream of starting a company that would cater to school going children.

In case 2, involvement is one of the major drawbacks of an online training mechanism. There is more learning to be done when it is experiential and has a touch and feel effect.

In case 3, well do I need to explain more. It was wholehearted involvement of everybody in the barber's shop and this led to the atmosphere being lively and contagious.

Bottom line: Involve and evolve. that's a tagline which could aptly consolidate the three different experiences of the morning!

God Bless!

Of Contact lenses and experiences – Get inspired

2009-12-06T20:48:00.001-08:00

Of late, I have started trying my hands in wearing contact lenses. 10 years of “soda glasses” and suddenly you feel so free, realizing that you don’t have an “accessory” that could most of the times make you so dependant on it. For people who have been wearing high powered glasses would appreciate and understand the emotion that I am talking about.
Mind you its an emotion because so much of it goes when you realize that you want to wear a pair of shades and you are in a catch 22 situation.

You want to wear shades because its extremely hot but if you wear it, you get completely blinded from the rest of the world. I remember once, someone I knew got extremely pissed as I did not wave back from a 100 metre distance and the person had to feel embarrassed for waving at a non entity! My problem, was wearing shades and could not see beyond my arm! So much for a pair of soda lenses!

However, these kind of experiences is beyond the scope of my writing. Let me come back to the point. As I said, its been only about 4 days since the contact lenses have come home. Its been a good respite, at least for the sun glasses! And there is a story to how I wear them. There is an extremely helpful friend of mine who stays right next door.
Every morning, I visit him for putting on the lens and the ritual follows in the evening too. Day before, the timing was right so I had the opportunity to binge on dinner too!

Yesterday morning was no different. Went to his place for the lens wearing session. All done, somewhere I felt that the right one was pricking a bit. We tried again and again and again and finally feeling a little awkward told him that it was fine, though it was still a little uncomfortable. Moved out and headed towards Indiranagar to meet a friend.

On the way, the lens started giving me trouble and as soon as I dropped off the auto and tried to play with the lens, pop it came out. So, here was me, the left lens on the eye and the right on the hand. The irony of life is that when we want something you get everything but that. So here I was trying to find an optical shop.

The medical shops that were open on the way – Dentist, Dermatologist, Cardiologist, Veterinarian and a mammoth hospital with no eye care facility. 25 minutes and finally with all the search I get a Bausch and Lomb which is half closed. Reason: the guys have gone for lunch. My friend who had joined me by then and who is an Indiaranagar specialist got on the phone and started making calls to finally find a place. And the rest is good news. The ophthalmologist got to work and presto the eyes were back in shape in 5 minutes.

There are thoughts that came flashing as I was searching for an optical shop which I believe could be of practical utility for life –

1.Never say that you are fine when you are not. At the end of the day, it is for you to suffer. If things have to be done and redone and redone again, do it to your complete satisfaction. It will save a lot of the hassles that come
2.Life is ironic, face the same and keep moving
3.When your life depends on something, you become extra passionate to get it. Do each task that you love as if your life depended on it
4.Know people who know things about things
5.Share your experiences. It is so much fun to share!

Jogging @ self accountability – Get Inspired

2009-12-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

I never had any reservations on the idea of waking up early in the morning, going for a jog and keeping oneself fit and active throughout the day. For I have had the opportunity to live close to a football ground and a basketball court for sometime now and closely observe dedication and passion towards the activity. Case in point: There was this gentleman who used to jog every day. Rain, fog, mist, chill, heat comes and goes, one thing remained constant. This 40 plus gentleman used to be there on the football stadium, sprinting his way through the circles of the track. For about 2 years he continued. I still see him, but 2 years hence, he is not the gentleman I had seen then. If he looked like someone straight from a fairly tale book then (read Humpty Dumpty) today his face radiates the energy and the freshness of a teenager. And the flab? Of course, that no longer exists! That’s one of the aspects of jogging
It reduces flab and makes your face radiate and shine making it look fresh throughout the day!

The other aspect of jogging is accountability. You decide to jog for weeks, for months and for years yet the tussle between you and yourself goes in vain a lot of times. You buy in a new pair of branded shoes, socks to match with it, a water bottle to complement and if you are of the flashy types, maybe you would also purchase a wrist band with “Live Strong” written on it ( for the motivation part). And what happens next? In the tussle between the snooze of your alarm and your determination, the former, a lot of times, ill overpowers you with immediate effect. And 5 minutes of snooze becomes 10 minutes, 10 minutes to infinity till the time comes when you are really tied up for time as you have to move out to fetch your daily bread in the regular grind of the day.
Accountability here is a premium. Because, if you decide to beat the snooze alarm and walk up to conduct the jogging ritual, it is not only for the sake of jogging but also you are slowly mastering your mind rather than making the mind master over and dictate its terms. A lot of successful people have been prolific joggers. It is not the jogging through which they have become masters of their enterprise but the self accountability created which has made them masters of their own fortune.

So with the face shining, the flab reduced, the health at its pink and the mind racing towards making itself the most accountable entity, early morning stroll/jog has great advantages. Try it on yourself!

The internet Guy - Get inspired

2009-11-29T08:49:00.001-08:00

Kumar is an extremely interesting character to watch. He would be around 14 years of age, 4 feet in height, skinny bloke with a laptop like bag always by his shoulder. One thing that makes you marvel is that if you are in conversation with this guy for 5 minutes, he would receive a minimum of 10 calls in his mobile at that time. And to each one, he gives a one hour time to be at their place.

And who is Kumar? He is the internet fixing expert in the location that I live.

The first time you see him, you would just pass him for a guy who’s just learning the tricks of the card. He speaks as if he is a novice with an apologetic tone to his voice. However, as you see his deftness at work, you would embarrass yourself with the illogical reasoning that you gave for his young age. He has the calmest of minds and the smoothest of hands and operates as if he was born to become an internet "fixing" geek.

The first time he came by, it was a hot afternoon. Because I had made some frantic calls, Kumar, had come sweating to my place. Noticing the panting and sweating, I had offered him some water and some slices of papaya. To my surprise, Kumar requested that he would finish his work first and only then would he eat or drink. And the guy in exact 20 minutes rectified the error, ate the papaya pieces and moved out.
And in 20 minutes, he received at least 15 calls, everyone inquiring as to where he was and what time would he come to their place. 1 hour was his regular reply.

Another thing about this 14 year old is that time and again, as he is passing by, he barges in for 5 seconds, inquires if the internet is working fine and runs away as soon as he gets a nod of approval. No hanky panky, no lengthy conversations.
An extremely handy boy who has a lot of good years ahead!

There are lessons to be learnt from this guy of 14 years –

1. Looks and age could be extremely deceptive. Never underestimate.
2. Prioritize your work
3. Keep a tab of your customers and take regular feedback
4. Work first, everything can wait

Opportunity explored - Get inspired

2009-11-17T05:11:00.000-08:00

This morning, I read about this Indian guy who has a 7 room hotel in the North Pole. His is apparently the only one up there. He started his career as a supplier of sledges and then gradually built his businesses to be listed in the billionaire play list club. This is a story that we have heard often. A perfect rags to richest setting. One for the cozy arm chair stories that we can relish to dish out to people who want to listen. Many a times, a coffee table talk, or even a general knowledge question!
This story reminded me of a tale that my uncle, in passing, told me about one of the richest people on the planet. My uncle's close friend during their growing years had the opportunity to work, with him, in parts. I am not too sure, if it is a story told to impress on me a lesson or a real one, but this is how the story goes of the early years of LN Mittal, the Steel Czar of the World.

As told by my uncle -

"I know this friend of mine in Kolkata who is in the metal scrap business and has been dealing with it for the last 25 years. He told me that several years back, LN Mittal used to come to the same factory where he used to take his scrap iron/steel from. As logic states, everyone wanted the best of the scrap, leaving the spoils for the losers. And incidentally, it was LN Mittal who used to take all the leftover scraps from the factory, along with his share of the scrap. My friend and the rest were confused on what he did with the steel, just to realize years later that he was exporting the last reject of the scrap to one of the countries of Africa. And that's where he made a good fortune selling the same and setting his empire."

This was the story. True or False, I don't know and I care less. What I care about is a lesson to be learnt on entrepreneurship and the ways one needs to look at opportunities even at the worst of conditions. The case of Mittal is exactly similar to the case of the guy who started the hotel in the North Pole. They saw an opportunity, they believed they could create magic and yes they did.
A story for the arm chair and one for inspiration!

Physical delimitations - Get inspired

2009-10-25T06:17:00.000-07:00

When you watch uncle do business in his small juice shop, you would probably smile at him. Smile is a mild word. You would probably laugh at him seeing him do the transaction.
For example: You ask for an bottle of appy and he will hand you over a Frooti from the refrigerator. you laugh and then you shout.."Uncle, APPY..NOT FROOTI". He would smile back at you, open the refrigerator and hand you over a bottle of Coca - Cola!

If you are a first timer, you would probably think that the 50 plus looking man is trying to play funny with you. And if you have been to his shop earlier you would know that uncle has a genuine problem of hearing. This uncle who runs a small juice shop close to my home, does have an issue with hearing and does not even take the help of a hearing aid. However, wearing an aid or not is a secondary debate.
The primary point is that, uncle with his physical discomfort, still tries to sell as much as possible and that too always carries a smile on his face while interfacing.

Yesterday, while watching DPL on television, saw a guy who could neither speak or hear but gave one of the best dance performances on TV. The audience was dumbstruck when they got to know that the guy was physically not at his best of conditions and the judges too were wonder struck!

How if we look at the 2 cases we would realize that both are special in their own right, but more special because irrespective of their apparent physical discomforts, they still were and are giving it their best shot in what they are doing.
My juice uncle still tries to give the best to the customers with that never ending smile of his and the guy on TV practices dance like nobody's business and tries to achieve perfection in what he does.
These are 2 small examples, but lessons too powerful for all of us.

Shedding the Bangalore Auto Fella Mentality - Get Inspired

2009-10-19T21:53:00.000-07:00

Most of us, I can bet, are so glued to what I call as the Bangalore Autowallah mentality.
Let me explain the process. Imagine yourself, on a hot sunny Bangalore afternoon with a heavy luggage by your side, waiting for an auto to ferry you to your destination which is apparently the nearest point (less than 1.4 miles). You stop the first auto fellow. You tell him the destination. He looks at you, looks up and has a conversation with God, looks back and you says a NO and drives ahead. You stop the second, the third, the fourth and it’s a déjà vu. Now you are frustrated and prostrate before the auto as the fifth one stops. As he gives his already rehearsed answer, you are so frustrated that you want to know why he would not come to the destination indicated. What you hear is so evident, if you have been a regular auto ordeal ridden Bangalorian. If not, this is what he tells you.

“The distance from here to there is a minimum and I will not get anyone to get back from the drop point”.

Now my question is plain simple. How do you know whether you would not get a passenger when you reach the spot? Who knows, when you reach the place, you might get someone who wants to go to the farthest end of town, or maybe Chennai and thus your day is made! This guy by virtue hearsay or some bits of experience of not getting a passenger has definitely lost a customer in me and some potential customer who could be waiting for him at the stop where I would alight.

Now let’s take the mentality to our way of life. Many a times, we too think like the Bangalore auto guy. Let’s supplement with a professional example. You go to your boss with an idea. You think that is one solid idea that would turn the fortunes of the team, the organization (indirectly) and last but not the least, yours. You are revved with the might of the idea. As soon as your boss listens to it, he smiles at you, says that it’s a nice idea, however would not work in the current environment at work. You are heartbroken, yet don’t give up and keep thinking and scouting for new ideas. A week later, you come up with another idea.
Mighty thrilled, you go to your boss and share your idea with him. He smiles at you. You smile back and he says that it’s a good idea, however…..

You are disheartened because your ideas have been rejected twice in two weeks! You go back to your cubicle, depressed than the last time. You get back to work.
Knowing your nature, you are someone who can’t stop brimming with ideas. Third week a fantastic idea pops up in your head. What do you do? Do you still go to your manager? Maybe yes, maybe no!
Majority would opt for the latter and that’s where the Bangalore auto mentality comes into play. We decide the consequences of the meet. We pre-meditate and chuck the plan of sharing the idea with the boss because the first two times, the idea has been rejected. We fail to see that, first and foremost, the loss is not of the organization, but yours, because subtly but surely, the confidence on yourself is being lost, in trickles.
If you look at it, who knows the idea that you take to your boss for the third time could be something that would turn the tables for the organization. Who knows that it is that idea that would make you the most recognized face in the organization. Who knows the idea would have the capacity to give you a promotion in the next appraisal meet.

Most of the times, each one of us live in a hypothetical world, making our own conclusions for the ideas that we have never tried yet. We are so stressed by the consequences of it working or not working that we forget that we need to act first to understand if it will work or not.
The “what if” syndrome is the damper to all the amazing possibilities that you are destined to experience!

Does it sound familiar?

What if I do not make it, what if it does not succeed, what if I would be embarrassed, what if people will think I am crazy, what if people think I am mad, what if I lose interest mid way, what if I do not get any results…etc etc..

Just turn the tables on that…

How would I feel if I make it, What would happen to me if I succeed, How would I feel if I got a standing ovation for my ideas, how would I feel if I got the results…etc etc..

Which one sounds kickass?

Decide for yourself!

15 minutes of Fame - Get Inspired

2009-10-11T03:18:00.000-07:00

The year was 1968. Painter & Film maker, Andy Warhol predicted the future. He quoted - " In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes." Thus, was born the statement "15 minutes of fame!"
The "world famous" may be a little too far fetched. However, Indians seem to have taken Andy's prediction by heart. Or else how do we justify the rise and rise of television channels capturing the 15 minutes of fame (refer reality shows) of millions of young Indians and editing it to 15 seconds before showcasing it to millions of people across our country as well as abroad.

There are 2 sides to this coin.

One side states that there is too much of reality happening in television and other mediums where the media can generate revenue, at the cost of people's emotions.
On the other, there are voices which state that its an amazing experiment where people who otherwise would not have had got a chance to showcase do get appropriate opportunity to do so.
Both arguments have many other pros and cons. I am not even getting into that!

The inspiration to write this piece came by while watching a dance show on one of the cheekily named television shows called "DPL" or "Dance Premier League".
What is it? I am sure you would flip if I even tried telling you to guess!
The blog is not about the show but about the several shows like that which have fed our eye balls for the last donkey years. India arose to reality shows with Kaun Bangega Crorepati, Roadies, VJ Hunt, RJ Hunt, DJ Hunt, PJ Hunt and the likes and it still continues to feed on the emotions of Indians through shows like DPL! The 15 minutes of fame lies secure in the hands of us, Indians, easily for the next 5-10 years!

Coming back to the story of DPL, there was a guy from Hyderabad who, after being selected for the next level cried and told that he was never encouraged to be on the front as he was "not good looking". Mind you, the guy carried oodles of talent with him and he slipped easily through the second to the third round too. And there were guys who were not selected and made a resolve on camera that they would come back next year to perform. (We have seen this in Roadies and Indian Idol) I feel they would.

Many people feel that there is an overdose of reality on TV. Not that I am a massive fan of these shows, however I beg to differ. There is a huge amount of talent surging from every corner of India, competing to be the best in the skills they possess. There is an amazing sense of competition amongst individuals giving their best shot to go on to the next round to fulfill their mother's, sister's,father's, boyfriend's, girlfriend's wish, and more importantly fulfilling their own wish.

There is a surge of positive hope amongst Indians to showcase their talents, a massive hunger to excel and grow...This hunger is just being satiated by the channels who come up with interesting (sometimes annoying: read "Dare 2 Date") ideas to involve the common folks and give them their 15 minutes of fame.

I believe that providing platform is a fantastic way to encourage latent talents to grow.
Having said that, we could have the 15 minutes of fame through other competitive medium too (refer: best debator contest, best ideator contest, best public service contest (This is mine: You need to spend 30 days with the underprivileged people and teach them some skills which could help them earn money)etc.

The said type of "15 minutes of fame" could come as we progress.
The sooner, the better though! :)

Who's the real have nots? - Get inspired

2009-10-04T22:12:00.000-07:00

Coincidences are the strangest thing for sure. There is a ritual I follow every morning. As soon as I am up, the first thing that automatically happens is that the hands reach out to a pen and a paper and I randomly list down all the things I have to do for the day. Some are obvious on the list and some forced upon, just to get an upper edge over my mind and show who's the boss! And almost all the time, whatever is written gets done by the end of the day. Touch wood!

This morning was no different. I listed down about 8 things for the day and the 9th one was "Write a Blog". Felt its been a while so penned it down, just to realize that there was no "topic" at that point in time for me to pursue.
Ritually, the next thing that happens in my daily scheme of things is go out to the tea shop nearby and drink a refreshing cup of half tea. The beauty of the shop is that the guys who man it are ever so smiling (that's a different topic altogether though).

As I settled with my tea, sitting in the patented place, something very interesting happened and hence the topic of the blog - "Who are the real have nots?" It so happened that there came along two ladies who sweep the roads of the city came and sat next to me, with their teas and buns. They would be in their mid 40's. I looked at them and smiled and immediately they flashed a smile and to my surprise offered me the bun they were eating. There was so much warmth and the pleasure of giving that made me think about the "real have nots".
They definitely are not the real have nots.

In the lingo of the world, the haves are supposed to be the ones who have it all and the have nots are the exact opposite of them. The haves have all the luxury, the lavishness, the moolah to spend, the best places to spend their vacation et al. And the have nots are the ones who are deprived of the same or rather deprived of even a third of what the haves have.
The haves are supposed to have had the most decent of educational facilities, the most caring of folks et al while the have nots are classified as someone whose life from the cradle to grave is about "surviving" and not "thriving".

However there is something in the have nots that the have have somewhere lost it down the years of "success". They have the warmth, the joy of enjoying even the simplest of pleasures, the bonhomie, the comradie, the respect and more importantly the joy of giving even when they know that it could be the only morsel left for them to gulp.
It would be an exaggeration to label all under one bracket, however the traits remain the same for a majority of the so called "have nots". They are the ones who give you the most genuine smile, care for you (if and when required) as if its their own they are taking care of and enjoy the small little bounties that life throws at them, occasionally.

The two ladies who shared their bun with me is the tiniest indicator of the real haves that we have in this world. God Bless!!

The Power of Words - Get Inspired

2009-09-30T01:28:00.000-07:00

One never knows how the power of words acts as an inspiration and how it affects the thought process of individuals. The other day a friend came home. I was preparing dinner at the kitchen and we were discussing about general stuffs of life, ideas, where and how to go ahead in life and living. The discussion was an ordinary, round the coffee table types with talks swinging freely from one opinion to another, till we started discussing ideas and the power of it. We moved into concrete boundaries with the both of us focusing on a solid idea and how we could go ahead doing it!

As we progressed, I made a comment that the best of ideas came up in the most unusual places, including a kitchen. And of course forgot about it! We had our dinner and he left chewing some ideas on the plans discussed.

Yesterday, he called up and did tell me that he was ready with the first level of the plan and wanted to catch up. This morning he came home and showed me the design and I must comment that it was impressive. He went ahead to mention that he sat down continuously for 5 hours to execute the plan discussed.

Notwithstanding his office engagements, he still found time to complete the first phase of the work and proudly presented the same. During our discussions, he came up with a very interesting note on his inspiration. He related the statement of the best ideas coming up in the most unusual places and went on to further illustrate that major brands and companies today was sometime back, just a blueprint in the mind and that they too had started real small.
And apparently that is a great motivation for him to engage his focus and energies to the said dream project. Great going on that!

This made me think of the power of words and sentences that we use upon others. Words could make or break someone’s faith and confidence.

The other side of the coin

2 years back, I was training a batch of 45 young professionals at a software company in Bangalore. It was a 2 days session and one of the aspects that we encouraged during the session was encouraging each and everyone in the room to speak a few lines in front of the class. Everyone was comfortable except a guy.
At the first glance he looked extremely smart and polished. However he hesitated opening his mouth. When he did, the story unfolded immediately. The guy produced 2 sounds simultaneously from his vocal chords and that sounded different. The entire room encouraged him to talk and the guy did. He was extremely articulate, except the sounds. He spoke for a couple of minutes and everyone clapped for him. After that, he told the entire class that he wanted to share why he felt shy or scared to talk in front of a group.

His story

“Sometime back, I went for an interview to a reputed company in Delhi. The position open was for an HR executive. I felt that the interview went on fine till the HR lady told me in the end that I should not try my hand in areas where people interfacing is required on a regular basis, as my voice had some problem.
This shattered me and I lost all confidence of speaking in front of a large group. Fortunately, my technical skills helped me get placed in this company and today I feel better that I spoke in front of such an encouraging audience. I shall try my best to speak more without inhibitions and if there is any which ways I can correct it, will do the same.”

With this he ended with the entire room giving him a standing ovation.

Many a times, we say something which might have the power to affect the confidence of someone. We might be robbing a great potential, a northern star that has the power to guide the course of history. Sometimes, I too am guilty as charged. However, am improving on that.
Without trying to sound too preachy my question to each one is “Have we been utilizing the power of our words constructively? If yes, great! If no, keep the lips sealed!

Period.

Dreams and its power to wake you up - Get inspired

2009-09-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, dreams have the power to wake you up. The same happened to me this morning. Maybe it was an overdose of whatever I was reading last night (Banker to the Poor: Muhamad Yunus) or that's something which has been there at the back of my mind for a long time, I don't know. However the incident is so much in the memory, am sure it will take sometime for it to slip out of my memory.

The dream

I was sitting with a friend of mine who had just returned from the UK and was listening to his stories of the place. The place where we sat looked like a huge college campus, with a lot of benches and trees hanging around. For some reason, we were sitting on a tree branch! (Dreams!!)
During our discussions, I was looking around the campus when my eyes suddenly fell upon an old lady who looked extremely poor and was trying to break the twigs and the branches of a mango tree to cover her upper part of the body! She was almost complete with the exercise and started moving towards the garden nearby. I immediately jumped down the branch and ran towards the old lady. I called her, she turned back and stated gesturing that she would not sit there as people were playing cricket nearby and the ball might hit her.
I followed her till she reached a part of the garden and sat down. I gestured her that I would be back in a while with a shirt and ran towards some place. And in between, there were crazy non related issues and I finally picked up a shirt, boarded a vehicle and came back. The dream was broken!

Am not too sure whether the lady received the shirt or not but there is an important angle to it. There have been times when I look at the ladies who sweep the roads of Bangalore in the early mornings. Some and hale and hearty and some are frail.
They are the ones who keep our city neat and tidy and we just forget to acknowledge them.

Here is what I intend to do. A very practical step. Every morning I have observed that they (3-4 of them) drink tea in the tea shop nearby. Will talk to the owner that I would foot in their bill on an everyday basis or a weekly basis. They could at least save 3 rupees. For us, it might mean nothing, for them it might mean a day of cooking oil or a piece of lunch bread for the son/daughter going to school.

You can try it in your neighborhood and make it your bucket list!! Sometimes, dreams truly have the power to wake you up!

Over a cup of mint tea - Get inspired

2009-09-17T18:48:00.000-07:00

Ganesh makes excellent tea. His menu has a variety of 12 tea flavors and some of them have out of the world taste. The price of giving your taste bud a smile starts from Rs. 4 and goes on to rs. 6, for the mint flavored herbal tea.
However, this post is not an ode to the different flavors of tea, but a note of the different flavors that Ganesh brings on to life. For that, he is an inspiration.

The story -

Ganesh is a young and a very sweet spoken individual whose tea shop is a flavor amongst the students of a particular college in Bangalore. Having observed the shops in the locality for a long time now, I can easily vouch that it is a new shop. Just 3-4 months back or maybe lesser. Curiosity took me to his shop as his was the only shop which had a menu for tea flavors. As indicated 12 different types.
I have had sipped tea about 4-5 times earlier in his small tea shop, however never had the opportunity to speak to him in length as he had been always busy catering to the requests of the college students for tea.
Yesterday though was a different morning. There was no one in the shop, save for one guy who was smoking in the corner and chatting with someone over the phone. I asked Ganesh for the mint herbal tea and we started taking. Me with the questions and he answering as promptly as possible. I asked him about the shop, about the profits, about the rent etc etc, doing my own calculation at the back of my head.
But there came a question which completely sent my calculations to a tizzy.
I asked him about the owner of the shop and without blinking an eyelid he said, "Its my own shop". A 17 -18 year old getting bit by the entrepreneurial bug is a story that progressive India hears day in day out. Nothing new.
But Ganesh's story is a with a little bit of a twist! He is pursuing his final year, Diploma in Automobile Engineering from a college nearby. He started his shop about 3 months back when college was shut for holidays and have been doing business since then. Morning 6 to evening 8, everyday including Sundays!

I asked him further on his getting into campus placement et al and as a matter of fact he said that he would not get into campus placement as he intends to create jobs through his venture of enterprise. The next question from my side was obvious " Would you close down once college resumes?" He looks at me and gives me a "how-can-that-be-possible" smile and says "NO". I have already hired my uncle on a monthly basis to take care of the shop when I am studying.
I look at him with amazement, with a lot of dots getting connected in my mind. I finish my herbal tea,thank him and move ahead.
He would be wondering that I thanked him for the tea. The fact of the matter is that I thanked him for being a part of the 20% of the population who dares to dream beyond the obvious and thereby becomes an default inspiration.

Struggles as we surge ahead- Get inspired

2009-09-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

There is something extremely inspiring about struggles. They not only make excellent copy material for a story but also make for some riveting food for thought. Through the times, i have had the opportunity to experience as well as observe the triumph of human spirit steer through the clouds of despair and finally the unfathomable spirit have the last laugh!
These stories are a fantastic window to the soul of energized spirit which believes that the only way out is to take the devil called gloom by its horns.

A few days back, i met an extremely fine gentleman who has been in the showbiz business for the last 20 years and more. Through our coffee table discussions, like any other coffee table discussions, we moved from one topic to another, ultimately freezing on a story which was an interesting one on struggles and the beauty of it. He was talking about a show on TV that he was a part of from its inception and the struggles that they had initially. For the record, this show is one of the biggest brand building and brand retention tools of the organization today! However, this was not the case then.

Let's rewind it to 8 years back. In his words - " The initial days were extremely trying. We did not know what we had moved into until we started realizing the enormity of the task. First it was convincing the guys to pool in money and show them the large picture, then it was pacifying the emotions of the higher ups who felt that the energy and money could be pooled into something constructive and tangible. Thanks to a lady who stood her ground, a little respite was there when it came to making the internal guys understand. Then the show struggle. We had only 8 people in the audience, one being the hall keeper when we did our first show. This was highly demotivating considering that we felt we were doing something extraordinary. However, what we feel is extraordinary, could not even mean ordinary to people! Subtly yet surely, things began to turn around. Took a couple of years but we turned around and today this show has its pride of place."

This was a small story but reflective of the struggles we as individuals have in our own sphere of reference. When people say you cannot do it, when they feel that you are mad enough to waste your time and energy, when you yourself feel at times on whether you are on the right (or any track), when you see no light miles and miles ahead....but that's what struggle is and that's what makes you stronger as you move ahead.

Early morning - Get inspired

2009-09-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

If you happen to be an early riser and off to work in Bangalore, you would be familiar with a very unique yet redundant scene. Actually, the scene is so redundant that you could curse me for being such a petty observer. However, I believe that the story of the teeming and ambitious India is well written and documented throughout the day, in this story, early morning.
You would not miss the hundreds of fresh and young faces lining up in every road in Bangalore waiting for their buses to take them to work. The clean shaven faces of young men, the just-had-a-bath hair of smart ladies is quite a scene to watch. It is highly energizing to just pass through this experience. One can but just watch and feel good that India definitely has its right generation at the right place and the right time!

Role Models - Get inspired

2009-08-29T21:44:00.001-07:00

I believe that the function of education is not about making people able readers and writers but about making them more acceptable role models for the next generation.

There was an event which I was a part of recently. A bunch of highly inspired youngsters were handling promotional campaign for one of the biggest camera manufactures in the world and these guys invited me to assist them in whatsoever possible ways. I took the responsibility of interacting with individuals along with the two very talented master-of-ceremonies. This was in one of the busiest junctions of Bangalore and meeting people thereby was not an issue.

The event was a crack of it with the team collectively pushing in so many people that the organizers told us to stop sending people because there was no space inside the studio. However, that’s besides the point. What really intrigued me was a story which I would love to share. It was something which would stay with me for a long time now.

There walked past a lady and her 6 years old daughter. We did mention to her what the deal was. It was a simple one. She had to stand in front of a signboard and give out the best of smiles. In 2 minutes times, she would get a hard copy of the picture, courtesy the studio. She agreed to it and we did take a picture of hers. However, she did give us the hint of being a little difficult a customer.

She went to collect the pictures and came down after a while. I asked her how the picture had come out and she started blaming everything including us. She said that the picture came out really bad and that she had clipped her lips and when pointed that the daughter had looked real cute, she brushed past the statement. When we requested her that we would take another snap, she in the most curt tone refused and said that she did not have time for all these nonsense! She left.

Now that was a very interesting study. We have 3 categories of people who were a part of the scene. Let us look at the influence on the three

1. Me

2. College students who organized the event – quite an impressionable age with a mind of their own

3. Daughter – A very receptive age with no mind of her own to think

Me – Having seen a lot of kickasses and jackasses, I take it with a pinch of salt that there could be people like her who already have had a bad day at home/work/plumber/lawyer/watchman etc. So she already carried a burden in her head. So would give the benefit of doubt to her. However, also feeling that you cannot and should not take out someone’s anger on somebody else! Also, the benefit of doubt to her for Bangalore has thousand and one events like that every weekend.

College students – The first reaction of the organizers was “what- a – jerk.” Exact words, mind you! Now the lady who has by default got age and thereby the experience failed to be an indirect role model to the youngsters who were trying their passion and enthusiasm. With such a character around, what message are we giving out to the youngsters? I believe that the function of education is not about making people able readers and writers but about making them more acceptable role models for the next generation.

Her daughter – What would her daughter who is 6 years old learn from this? That she has to grow up and become as arrogant and adamant as her mom? As we all know kids to a very large extent look up to their parents, good or bad, if this child is given a dope in this way on how to react with people, what is the attitude that she would carry along?

It’s a dangerous trend set. I rest my case!!

Festivities - Get Inspired

2009-08-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

The estimated population of India on July 2009 was 1.17 billion. That's a crazy number for co-existence. However, we do and we do it so harmonically. No doubt there is chaos, and undoubtedly so, but we should not forget to realize that harmony too is brilliantly integrated in the psyche and the system.

One of the finest examples of harmonical co-existence is definitely the way we celebrate our festivals. There is so much of positive energy, love, harmony, dancing and laughing in the air. If we look at the list of festivities that we in India celebrate (big and small), it would possibly take away each working day of the year. And that's where the strength of our country lies. A reason to enjoy at the cost of the 330 million Hindu dieties + a couple of hundred others, and this makes us a wonderful celebrating country.

Early yesterday, as I passed through the bylanes of one of the traditionally well kept markets of Bangalore, incidentally called Gandhi Bazaar, I could not help but experience so much of comradie and a wonderful sense of warmth around. Early in the morn, people were buying flowers, the sellers were dressed in the best of their attire, of all ages, some smiling, some haggling, some cajoling the customers..it was so much fin a site.

And today, as Ganesha started getting emmersed, I could not help but stand out and see beelines of vehicles and people singing, dancing, merrymaking, whistling and enjoying the mood of the moment. Without realization, a smile was plastered throughout this entire scene on my face too.

Thank God for the Gods, for they are an integral part of keeping intact the fabric of an idea called India!!

Questions Get Inspired

2009-08-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

As I was speaking to one of the most prominent faces in the alternate education sector in India today, and discussing about the leadership drive, he posed me questions on the same and also gave me very valuable inputs on how to go about things.

The questions were ranging from the most simple to the higher end. Some of them being -

1. What is the route you are going to take?

2. How many days have you given/state on the leadership drive if you intend to finish the drive in 6 months time?

3. Are you going to drive through the night too?

4. What's the end result of the leadership drive going to be?

5. How are you going about the sponsors?

6. What makes you feel that the colleges are going to buy this idea of yours and invite you for the speech?

7. What have you been doing about the physical endurance?

8. India is still a country where people travel by trains and buses. Would your drive not be considered elitist by a lot of people?

9. What's post "Leadership Drive" for you?

10. Have you made a dossier/presentation on the same to be circulated?

These are some of the questions asked by this much learned gentleman. I write these questions to remind myself time and again that these and more have to be answered in the coming times. Some I have been answering, some will require some more time to be answered.

A promise to myself - Get inspired

2009-08-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

Had promised myself that whatever be it will write a few lines on the blog. Just doing that for no one else's sake but myself!!! Extremely tired however, feel good, extremely!!

Catch you guys in the next blog:)

What's the message? - Get Inspired

2009-08-13T23:55:00.000-07:00

Let me narrate to you two incidents, a leaf out of my own experiences during my college days and aftewards. This is a story about two very dynamic individuals, the difference being, one was dynamic during college and one post college

Dynamic 1

A major in studies and some extra curricular activities, apparently one of the best students of the college and if memory serves right, she did recieve the "Best student of the year" twice in the 3 years we spent graduating. Now everyone did look upto her and pronounced that a star was born. As we left college, the star shone and

Dynamic 2

A minor student in studies (not minor enough to fail though) however a major in extracurricular activities. Meeting people, talking to them, rapport building was one of the passions he had had. That was the reason that he would always be inside the campus but outside the class. He had friends and acquintances literally from all departments, including the office boys and the department helpers. The teachers thought he would do nothing much in life.

6 years hence the scene, the guy runs a company and the girl works for him on certain projects.

I have been an onlooker to this change.

My question to the system is - Are we too early too easily judgmental of someone?

Why the Y Generation? - Getting inspired

2009-08-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

There have been several theories doing the rounds about why we need to mold individuals at a younger age so that he/she grows up to become a fine gentleman/woman. There have been highly respected and learned professionals who have given me the insight and understanding backed with researches on why there is a higher chance of molding individuals when they are at at impressionable age. Like for example this gentleman whom I highly respect stated statistical facts after facts on how the mind is highly receptive to change at a younger age and that it might be a little futile to look at trying to change the older lot of youngsters.

Have been thinking of this and the more I think the more there is a conviction that there is a requirement for the college going crowd to understand and realize the importance of molding themselves into the finest they want to be. And there ofcourse are youngsters studying in colleges across India who are equally confused and want the wings of hope and clarity to touch them.

There are reasons to back my claim that there is a need to assist the teenagers and guide them towards glory. Also, the question on receptivity could be answered here -

First a couple of pointers on schools -

1. School is a very secure place. There always will be teachers engaged to take care of the students at every moment of their school time. So they are safe and secure here. Even in terms of knowledge, there is a great zest amongst teachers to help them in whatsoever ways. And because they are at the stage of their highest curiosity it becomes easier for them to be receptive.

2. There are parents who make sure that they take care of the kids and time and again check the progress of their wards. So there will always be a check from the parents' side time and again

3. The schools have a moral science, arts and craft classes etc etc which helps a child to focus at holistic development.

Now to colleges

1. College is an independent body so a sense of security is less vis-a-vis schools. One never gets the answer until a question is asked specifically. To a certain extent this is the curtain raiser for you to live comfortably in the future.

2. Parents to a large extent are relaxed with the progress report. If you pass, its good, if you do not you must be crazy! The individual attention is minimized here.

3. Colleges have once a year value added personality development programs which might not be as sufficient as students' require.

4. They are the immediate nation builders whose contribution to their field could be remarkably enhanced if they go out with a lot of confidence, positive attitude, a larger picture and an ability to dream big dreams.

The other question is - Can they be molded?

Of course they can be. And the bigger one grows, one realizes that there is a tough life out there. With a pinch of hope, nagging, cajoling and showing them the ground realities, they can be definitely molded. The trick lies in how do we mold them?

The Young Partnership model

Gone are the days when there used to be people sitting and the lecturer piling notes after notes to students. This is a day and time when information overload and information pervasiveness has hit us hard. A young student might know more in the field of technology than the lecturer because he is highly inspired to know what's the latest in the market and the field.
Now a teacher in that sense should not feel threatened and appreciate the point given and encourage to keep up the good work. This is how partnership is developed.
This is going to enhance the brand value of the teacher and also encourage the student to work more on the field of interest. Automatically the students- teacher bonding also is going to be a fulfilling one and of mutual respect.
This partnership model is the name of the game in the times to come if we want to develop leaders out of youngsters, be it cities or small towns and villages!

I have great appreciation for stalwarts who have been doing great service to the nation by helping mold youngsters in the school levels. However I think the "Aesop Fables" need to be retold in the colleges too with the practical applications in their immediate future and the long run!

2009-08-09T07:54:00.000-07:00

"Its a proud moment for all of us, as the statues of Thiruvallur and Sarvajana are being unveiled amid all political turmoil. Its special too as our children are now asking us who they are"
- Excerpt from....err was it a Tamilian giving these sound bytes? or was it a Kannadiga expressing his views on the unveiling of the Thiruvallur in Bangalore today?

Or was it an Indian who believes that we can do away with the myopia of geographical boundaries and narrow mindsets so that the generation of tomorrow gets the history and civility it deserves? I firmly do believe that we do have tons of people across these two boundaries and also throughout the nation who believe that this is a very welcome step that could define how we look at issues from a broader perspective, subtly yet surely.

The beauty of this issue is that the statue of a Tamilian legend (Thiruvallur) was unveiled in Bangalore and sometime next week the statue of the Kannada saint poet is being unveiled in Tamilnadu. For the ones who know the history between these two places, it is but one of the most defining symbolism in modern times. A positive facet that could refine and redefine broad mindedness. And that's the way it should be!

There are people and there always will be who would oppose this move. However one thing is sure, what binds us is stronger than what separates us. This is a landmark symbolism of this belief. And more importantly, was it their fault that they were born in either of the places?

May this symbol open more doors of friendship, of understanding, of positive hope, of brotherhood and more importantly of gauging at issues from a broader perspective than a narrower one.

Its a fresh leaf for the rest of the nation also to follow suit that we are better without boundaries, more importantly in the head!

The Leadership Drive 2010 is on a contribution seeking mission - Getting Inspired

2009-08-06T23:23:00.000-07:00

In a nutshell, the leadership drive 2010 -

Target - 1000 plus colleges in 29 states across India, mainly targeting tier 2 and 3 cities and colleges

Driving force - Talk on " You do not decide when where and how you are born but you can definitely decide your life thereafter"

Starting - December 2010 - August 2011

Am looking at individual as well as corporate contributions/sponsors for the drive

Now the story,

Have written a small campus to coporate book titled "Moving Ahead" priced at 100 rupees only. Have printed 5,000 copies of the same and am in the process of printing 5,000 more.

A large part of the money generated through the sales of the book is going for the arrangements of the Leadership Drive.

The sales of the book is going good with many noble cause minded people not only buying a copy for themselves but also helping me sell the same. That's quite a thrill to see friends so helpful and supportive on that.

An anecdote

" This friend of mine after reading the book says that the book was not for her because it is targeting college students. She goes on further to say that she still is going to help me sell many copies of the book because she believes in the Leadeship Drive cause" That's so warm and inspiring.

Another one

" I told this other friend of mine about the leadership drive and also that a lot of expense would be incurred in the same. After a while, he came back saying that I need to save on my expenses and he's going to sponsor my monthly "Rice"!!!! He wants me to save the amount that I spend buying rice for the Leadership Drive. Now that's a kickass thought!!!

Likewise there have been many who have been trying to assist me in whatsoever ways possible, donating 50 rupees, 100 rupees, some generous blokes a little more...this at the end of the day is going to make all the difference I know for sure.

There have been people who have sent me a list of colleges in their areas and also the person to be contacted. Thats major help!

Am sure you would also want to assist me accomplish the leadership drive in some or the other way. Do let me know how you would want to assist making this Leadership Drive 2010 a success so that we can create more leaders

For the ones who are entreprenuers and corporates, since I would be meeting close to a lac youngsters (minimum) do let me know how and where could I be of any help in the Leadership Drive. Am sure there are opportunities to leverage.....

Proactiveness - Get inspired

2009-08-04T08:57:00.001-07:00

The past 10 days was easily one of the rare opportunities to watch proactiveness in action. As a facilitator and a change agent, we alays harp upon this word but many a times we do fall milesw short of bringing practicality to the word. So watching someone do it with magical ease was a delight to watch,observe and learn.

The person referred to is one of the finest examples of "Head on, hands in". Do it and do it instantly is the personal motto for her. To illustrate some examples " We are casually conversing about dining at a place where there is good sea food served." Zapp! The person is already in action talking to the finest resturant in town, requesting for a table for the evening.

We dioscuss about meeting someone prominent in town and lo before you exclaim "good lord" the meeting is already set up. Likewise, in a day there would be hundered of things passing by, significant or insignificant. Most of it is already done by the time you even realize it.

Also, the fantastic art of delegation is one which was a lesson to learn. It was not about sitting comfortably and delegating but about sharing responsibilities and showing how it is to become an inspiring leader.

many a times we might pride ourselves saying that "I am proactive "almost always". However there is a huge difference between "almost always" and "always". Its like the difference between a firefly and fire.:)

Some lessons inspired from -

1. Be always proactive in your approach

2. Know how to think in the alternate way

3. Make proactiveness a habit

4. Dont procrastinate

5. Work at the speed of your own thoughts

The extra step - Get inspired

2009-07-21T05:21:00.000-07:00

Something so inconsequential forced me to ponder a bit on taking the extra step. On my trip back from Vellore (South India) while waiting for the bus to move there came inside the bus a melon seller, calling in people to buy his produce. 20 rupees for 4; 5 rupees a piece that is.

This is a common sight in the bus stands in India. There is a population which is perennially traveling and to cater to them are these vendors who sell the maximum in the barest minimum of time.

Being a warm afternoon, it took him about 5-8 minutes to sell his entire bunch of melon, run out get some more, which again he sold in a jiffy. Nothing new. There was a need and there was someone catering to the need.

In another 15 minutes, the bus chugged off. About 200 metres
from the stand, to my amazement, I saw a market of melons. People were standing there selling (trying to sell) them, some had large quantities, some had few. But selling they were.

The melon seller had of course brought them from this market to sell it to the people in the bus. It would not take an Einstein to figure out that he would have bought them at a price much lesser than the one he sold for.

This post is not to describe the profit he made in monetary value, but the profit he did make in terms of taking the extra step that he did. There were at least 10 sellers in the market 200 metres from the bus, but it was only this gentleman who took the extra step to come inside the bus and sell this product.

If we look at it from the leadership point of view, there is so much that the man taught in the 15 minutes of time he spent selling the melons.

Zig Ziglar so marvelously pointed out in one of his quotes, "The extra mile always has very less or no traffic".

(picture courtesy:www.behaviortherapyassociates.com)

Get inspired - What got you here won't get you there

2009-07-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

All the beautiful things in life are simple. Marshall Goldsmith, one of the foremost executive coaches in the world is a living example for this quote. No wonder, he has in his book "What Got you here Won't get you there", in the most simplistic fashion advised his readers on the aspects of being a leader par excellence. The 20 simplistic he talks about is what you and me would have always known. However, with someone explaining it point by point, in the most simplistic fashion gives one a greater and clearer perspective on issues.

Before I go on to the great wisdom, Marshall has so beautifully highligted, an anecdote. The other day, I was sitting in a park nearby reading the book when I happened to strike a conversation with Gaurav, a young and smart 27 years old engineer working with one of the foremost public sectors in India. Out of curiosity he asked me a question what the book is about. I did gave him an insight on executive coaching and also on Marshall, afterwhich narrowing focus to the book. He asked a very interesting question whith a smack of surprise and naughtiness in his voice and expression.

"So is this book only for CEO's?" I replied in the affermative, explaining it is for the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) who lies within each one of us. The CEO who we are accountable, every minute, every hour, every day of the marvelous life that we are destined to live.

Now with the 20 pointers or as MArshall Goldsmith beautifully puts it. Have highlighted my favorite mistakes as per relevance-

1. Winning too much

2. Adding too much value

3. Passing judgment

4. Making destructive comments

5. Starting with "no" "but" or "However"

6. Telling the world how smart you are

7. Speaking when angry

8. Negativity or "Let me explain why they won't work"

9. Withholding information

10. Failing to give proper recognition

11. Claiming credit that we don't deserve

12. Making Excuses

13.Clinging to the past

14. Playing favorites

15. Refusing to express regret

16. Not listening

17. Failing to express gratitude

18. Punishing the messanger

19. Passing the buck

20. An excessive need to be "me"

Each and every aspect of the 20 pointers makes some or the other relevance. The answer here is to keep on rechecking these pointers and keep on correcting the course for self as well as development of others. Afterall, we are our own CEO, ain't we?

Head in, hands on - Get inspired

2009-07-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

Heads in, Hands on is one of the theories suggested by one of the doyens of management, Ram Charan, in his book aptly titled "Leadership in the era of Economic Uncertaininty: The New Rules of Getting the Right Things done in difficult times."

The book offers a reader great perspective on how to deal with the uncertaininties that linger around and how to emerge a champion. It is a must read for anyone who wants to beat the socket out of recession and a very easy book to refer to, again and again.

While reading the book the statement, "heads in hands on" hit me again and again. It is so apt, not only for the recessonary times but also in times when things are absolutely perfect. Also, very interestingly, it is apt in every sphere of life. 3 small examples to illustrate -

1. You have a competitive exam coming up - You have your head in (concentrate), hands on(take action)

2. You want to go and tell the person you love how you feel - Head in (make up your mind), hands on (take action)

3. You feel you have been punched by life - Head in (resolve to get ahead) Hands on (take corrective measures and thereafter action)

This concept is so simple yet so far reaching. So be it times of glee or times of gloom, the only thing that will take us forward is the simple 4 word phrase adviced by Ram Charan "Head in

Hands on"

Larger than life thoughts - get inspired

2009-07-13T03:02:00.000-07:00

The idea of living it large was looming inside me as I was walking by one of the lanes in Bangalore city. Thoughts on one life, live it large, one life give it large played ping-pong , when suddenly two old ladies jumped from nowhere and asked for alms. In no time I took out my wallet and handed each of them a 20 rupees note. I moved ahead but this feat astonished myself. Never had I in my history of donating alms had given more than a 5 rupees, once in a life time a tener. 20 is too huge for digestion!
The frame of reference here is not to drumbeat my generosity but the question of how the mind comprehends and acts when a situation is in direct or indirect alignment to the thoughts at the specific point in time.

1. Did I give away the 20 rupees because at that point of time the thoughts running in my head were on the lines of living it large?
2. Or was it just a matter of a once-in-a while generosity?

I would like to believe the former, but the reason still remains unclear to me as am sure it is for the 2 ladies too..

Get Inspired - Leadership Drive - Destination Kanyakumari to Kashmir - Target December 2010 - July 2011

2009-07-10T00:15:00.000-07:00

I am preparing myself to travel the length and breadth of India (All 29 states of India) from the month of December 2010 - July 2011 through road. It is dream for me. The intent and purpose is very clear.

Am looking at traveling through the Tier 2 and 3 cities in India communicating with the youngsters on the need to stretch their horizons and dream a little beyond what they have envisioned for themselves.

The theme is "You do not choose where and how you are born, but you can make a choice on where and how you would like to live thereafter."

It is a simple message whereby it looks at promoting self leadership and stretching beyond your available resources.

For the same, am looking at touching base with colleges in tier 2-3 towns and cities across India (The process is on) and also support from people who believe that it is the youngsters from these small towns who are making a mark and who will decide the course of India's future.

Some advice I would request from you -

1. Can you connect me to Degree/Engineering/medical colleges in the Tier 2-3 cities of the country?
2. Since this is a huge project can you advice me on how to go in for the sponsors?
3. My book "Moving Ahead" is out of print in the next couple of days. I am printing 10,000 copies of it. It is priced 100 rupees. Intend to "sell" every copy so that could make some saving for this ambitious project. If you know someone who wants to buy the same, please revert.
4. Do not want to spend too much of money on accommodation while on the Leadership Drive. Count on a few people to give me shelter as I pass your town:)

Thank you so much for your advice in advance. And yes, at the moment traveling alone!:)

Questions on innovations from a mango seller - Get inspired

2009-07-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

There used to be a mango seller near my place. He used to sell mangoes at the back of an auto rickshaw and was a huge draw. I do not see him nowadays. Been about a couple of week since I saw him or his shop. Was just wondering the reason he would have shut shop and vanished.

It could be innovation or the lack of it and this could be a lesson for a lot of young entreprenuers on the need for constant innovation to stay alive and kicking in the market space. After all how different is a mango seller from a cosmetics seller or a lifestyle product seller?

For convinience sake let me give it a title -

The Mango Seller - Inspiration for a budding entreprenuer

As I said the mango seller was a huge draw. He had been there for almost 3 months now and I have had the opportunity to watch him during my evening walks. When he started the mango season had just dawned and there was less varieties of mango at a price which was lesser than the average market rate.

As the month passed, he started getting more mangoes in his cart and he gave a price tag to match. The bigger mangoes cost more and the smaller ones less than the bigger ones. That was when business was at breakneck speed for him. The mangoes used to be picked up like hot cakes, big or small...He was at his best earning times..

Another month and and half I saw the amount of mangoes reducing and the price signboard also disapear from 3 to 1. Now it was only one type of mango and so one pricing. A little expensive than the fest time but definitely cheaper than the regular shop price.

Then suddenly he vanished. Couple of weeks and he is suddenly nowehere to be seen in the vicinity.

I tried to figure out the reason and what hit me was his entire focus on a single product (mangoes). So when the season was good, he did rip roaring business; when season went he vanished in thin air, hopefully to be seen in the next mango season.

What could he have done?

1. He could have diversified

2. He could have bought other fruits to his shop and sold at a lesser price

3. H could have seen it as a long term option than a seasonal gain

Lessons to be inspired from - for young entreprenuers

1. For innovators and entreprenuers, one product strategy could be a boomeranging one

2. When the product does good business the entreprenuer rejoices, but what's the shelf life of a product?

3. Somebody is going to innovate quickly when he/she sees that the product is doing rip roaring business

4. Diversifying and innovation is the name of the game

5. Look at the long term strategy than being a fly by night operator

Lessons from an auto driver - Get Inspired

2009-07-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the most trivial aspect could make you ponder. Last evening was traveling back home in an auto after dropping a friend of mine. As we reached a certain point, there was an uphill. The driver roared his auto uphill, just to realize that 50 metres ahead, there is a traffic piled up. The driver did not even think twice of stopping and checking if the traffic would ease. Instead, to my surprise he took a 180 degree turn and took his vehicle through one of the bylanes of the area. Surprise, surprise..there was no traffic on the parallel road.

I looked outside to see the other side, the vehicles were struggling to move. We easily reached home in the next 5 mins whereas it would have taken atlest 20 minutes had we waited for the road to decongest.

In life too, there are so many times, we get stuck in traffic jams, be it a problem not solved, be a decision not made, be it a risk not taken..Many a times it is because, we fail to understand that there could be a parallel way out, and that could be the solution. We fail to realize that we could take certain actions to see to it that we decongest our traffics. And if we go by our experiences, we very well know that there are ways and routes we can take to ease these traffics.

Most important of it, the solution lies in taking action and trying to find a parallel road.

So if you do get stuck in a jam (mental, physical, emotional) just keep in mind that there always is a parallel road to go through. The catch lies in taking action and finding the same.

The best advice they ever got - Get inspired

2009-07-02T02:24:00.000-07:00

The cover story of the Fortune magazine, Asia Edition, June 2009 India edition read – The best Advice I ever got. Below are the excerpts of the advice these industry titans recieved from some people in their lives which inspired them to reach the peak of greatness –

1. Bill Gates, Founder, Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/billg/default.aspx)

My dad and mom were great to encourage me as a kid to do things that I was not good at. At that time, I thought it was kind of pointless, but it ended up really exposing me to leadership opportunities and showing me that I was not good at a lot of things, instead of sticking to things I was comfortable with

2. Jim Sinegal, Co-founder and CEO, Costco Wholesale (www.costco.com)

If you are going to go to the trouble of hiring someone, it is because you can’t do the job yourself – so you’d better show them how to do it.

3. Lloyd Blankfein, Chairman and CEO, Goldman Sachs (www.gs.com)

It is good to solicit your people’s opinions before you give them yours. Second, you will be very influenced by how you carry yourself under stress.

4. Tory Burch, Co-founder and creative director, Tory Burch (www.toryburch.com)

Many people said that it was a risk to launch a retail concept. One of my mentors told me to follow my instincts and take the risk.

5. Mohamed El-Erian, CEO and co-chief investment Officer, Pimco (www.pimco.com)

Unless you read different points of view, your mind will eventually close, and you will become a prisoner to a certain point of view that you’ll never question.

6. Jim Rogers, Investor and commodities guru (http://jimrogers-investments.blogspot.com)

If you get interested in a company and you read the annual report, you will have done more than 98% of the people on Wall Street. And if you read the footnotes, you will have done more than 100% of the people at Wall Street.

7. Mika Brzezinski, Co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe with Joe Scarborough (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mika_Brzezinski)

You don’t know this, but there will be a day when you realize this was the best thing that could happen to you.

8. Scott Boras, Sports Agent, president, Boras Corp. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Boras)

Always serve to the best of the interests of your clients. An industry will change in response to you, but it won’t do it willingly.

9. Meredith Whitney, Founder, Meredith Whitney Advisory Group (www.meredithwhitneyllc.com)

Set realistic goals, achieve them, and recalibrate your goals so that you are constantly moving forward, as opposed to dreamer type goals that you are going to get frustrated by

10. Shai Agassi, Founder and CEO, Better Place (http://www.betterplace.com/company/leadership-detail/shai_agassi/)

You’re solving the right problem at the wrong time

11. Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, CEO-in-residence, Accel Partners (www.accel.com)

The key to starting a new job is to make a first impression, and a finite window of time to create professional momentum and start building a brand for yourself

12. Colin Powell, Former secretary of State (US); retired 4 star general (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Powell)

You’ve got to work like a dog. You’ve got to have moral and physical courage. There maybe days you’re tired, but you must never show fatigue. You’ll be afraid but you can never show fear. You must always be the leader.

13. Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google (www.google.com)

Have a coach!

14. David Axelrod, Senior Adviser to President Obama (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Axelrod_(political_consultant)

Washington is always the last to get the news!

15. Lauren Zalaznick, President, Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks, NBC Universal (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/magazine/02zalaznick-t.html)

If you hear a certain piece of feedback consistently and you don’t agree with it, it does not matter what you think. Truth is, you’ve been perceived that way.

Inspired failures

2009-06-30T05:42:00.000-07:00

Get Inspired - What's the best advice someone has given you?

2009-06-29T09:36:00.001-07:00

This is one question that had been creeping in our head. We asked the same to to a lot of professionals from various industries. Here is what they had to say -

1. Sheila K. Anderson, MA, Life Coach and Adjunct Faculty, St. Paul's area, USA

"Don't sweat the small stuff" AND "You are going to die with a to-do list"

2. Jon Van Volkinburg,Chemical Engineer, Cincinatti Area, USA

In college, the guy who lived across the hall from me dabbled in alternative medication (if you get what I mean) and was a very nice guy. His father had 2 PhDs but a hermit soul and the eccentricity and intelligence passed to this son, who despite his alternative lifestyle still aced all his classes. He once told me 'never let schooling interfere with your education', which I didn't know at the time is a quote attributed to Mark Twain. Still, this rang a bell with me then. Not long after that he saw a documentary on the grand canyon and longed to see it. He then began to worry about what else he was missing. A week later he was gone, and his roommate nor I have seen him again.

While the actions of this individual were a little extreme he did what was important to him and walked his talk. I admire that. The example put a lot more meaning behinds the words, and that is why it's the best advice I've ever received.

3. Ajit Kumar L, Performance Specialist and Coaching, Saudi Arabia

My BSc Final results were out and as usual it was abysmal...Discussing of various options, my Uncle suggested that I should stop thinking of going for further studies and do something worthwhile for the family....like getting into agriculture....I strongly objected it and there was heated discussion around the dining table...My uncle wrapped up the conversation saying "beggars have no choice"...And this sort of hit at the right place...I always carry this in my mind and whenever my chips are down, I think of this conversation to pep me up...Sounds funny, but really made an impact!!!

4. Pankaj Trivedi, Manager Operations at TheIndiaJobs.com, India

Someone told me that as a Manager I should never forget that every manual process is error prone. Therefore always consider this aspect in evaluating someone's performance.

5. George F Franks III, Senior Campaign Manager at Chandler Hill Partners, US

The best advice I ever got was:

"If it's going to be, it's up to me..."

Second best:

"It's not far from the penthouse to the outhouse..." (eg fall from the top).

Inspired 15 minutes

2009-06-28T23:49:00.000-07:00

Small moments of observation and interaction are a great source of learning and inspiration

Scene 1

Wanted to take some printouts, so went to a printout outlet. The reception of the cyber cafe was buzzing with activities and a man in his mid 40's was standing behind the desk. He looked like somebody who had not smiled for the last 2 quarters and his voice crystallized my doubts. He asked in the most irritated manner, "What do you want?" I pointed out my request and he turned me fdown saying that the printer is not working. The tone remained the same so did the facial expression. 10 in the morning is not a very good start with an encounter like that.

So moved out of the place and started looking for another place where the print out could be taken from.

200 metres from scene 1

Noticed a board which had Xerox, Print outs, etc written on it. Walked don to the shop and was greeted by a boy about 15 years of age. The first thing which took my attention was the warm smile he carried on his face. The pleasentness was a great respite, having seen the other side of it, just 10 minutes back.

I had the document in my mail box and therefore requested him if his computer could be used. He apologized that there was no internet facility in his office and then he did something remarkable. He volunteered to help me get the documents from the cyber cafe nearby in his pendrive. That was a wow moment! There was so much of friendliness and the genuine interest to help someone. Having taken the printout, in 15 minutes time, I shook his hands and moved out, promising to come back again when required.

Inspired lessons -

1. The Chinese said "If you don't know how to smile, do not open a shop!

2. The willingness to walk the extra mile will always fetch goodwill and other tangible benefits

3. The famous Indian Musician AR Rehman in his Oscar Acceptance speech said "All my life I had the choice between hate and love. I choose love and here I am." This definitely goes well for the 15 year old boy too who is forging his way towards inspired living.

Get inspired - 24 hours

2009-06-28T04:07:00.000-07:00

Life someone said is a never ending marathon run. Its a long and continuaal journey towards self improvement and also assisting people as we move forward together in our quest for excellence. If we analyze our lives, we would realize that we are all Harry Potters in our own right, weaving magic for ourselves as well as others as we pass by.

In his book "The 5 people who you meet in Heaven", one of the thought reads- " No story sits by itself. Sometimes stories meet and sometimes they cover one another completely, like stones beneath a river."

The genesis of 24hoursinspired is the same. We believe that each one of us is connected in someway or the other and each one of us is running the marathon called life.

The journey though is beautiful, just for the reason that it has its shares of crests and troughs to offer. We are of the firm belief that every encounter in the journey is an inspiration and there are lessons for us to learn and grow.

In 24hoursinspired, we endeavor to break the long marathon of life to small hundered meter dashes of 24 hours and look at sharing our inspiration with each one of you, day by day.

We hope you would enjoy the journey with us and also share with us your 24 hours of inspired learning, as you progress in your pursuit to excellence and happiness.