A comedy of error in business...
I try not to take anything in life for granted. Stupid as it may be, I question everything, maybe just to know whether I and my grey cells are still alive and functioning.
So, I put a question before you and please let me have your comments. Here it goes:
An ace I read from Malcolm Gladwell’s book “blink”:
“Comedy comes out of anger, and interesting comes out of angry, otherwise there is no conflict”.
Shoot, I never understood that comedy comes out of anger. I thought that comedy was fun. It should come out of happiness. But does it ? Now I am confused and analysing. It's not funny anymore.
Can we not have fun without anger ? Professional artists/performers/stand up comedians etc. may transform their contempt of what is around them (the world in general) to comedy. Indeed, they almost always do. Most jokes are cracked at the expense of someone else.
I disagree. Comedy may also come out of joy of living. It may come out of just en(joy)ing yourself.
The best jokes are those which are cracked upon our self, because there is no other victim.
In our work too, if we realize that we have made a mistake and can own up to it, and laugh about it, chances are that WE SHALL OVERCOME. The alternative will be anger, conflict and disaster all around!
I was once working for a company which excelled in insulting it’s managers at the tiniest of mistakes. Actually, there was only one CHIEF who was doing it and the others were following the culture out of fear, or for pleasing him to get advantage.
I learnt from that experience.
I will never run an enterprise which thrives on insult or fear.
We have better things to do in life than to make a comedy out of other’s mistakes and misfortunes. Most comedy can be interpreted as insulting. You laugh at the language / color / appearance of others ? Look at yourself please...
You or I may be on the receiving end tomorrow.
Please en(joy) your comedy….
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
From Goodness to Greatness
Let’s talk about our jobs today. All of us do whatever we do, because we have to. Some try to do it well. Some go a step beyond and try to do a great job.
Why? I think it is because some people have a passion for excellence. As mentioned in my last posting, most achievements in the world are in pursuit of excellence. So what is the difference between Good and Great?
The Good is expected, the Great is recognized. Goodness is required or desired, whereas Greatness is respected and revered. Goodness is forgotten with time, Greatness becomes a timeless memory.
Look around you. Look at all the towering buildings. They were made by ordinary people and collectively they build these edifices to humanity. Look at the Taj Mahal or the Great Wall of China. Look at the creations of Michelangelo. Look at the great cities of London, Rome, Paris, Vienna. Think of how Hiroshima and Nagasaki were reconstructed (and so fast) after the atomic bombs were dropped on them.
All this my friends is Greatness in ACTION
The Great happens when ordinary people do extraordinary things. The Great happens when you refuse to pass yourself off as just another ordinary human being. No compromises. You can be Great! So why not try?
Why? I think it is because some people have a passion for excellence. As mentioned in my last posting, most achievements in the world are in pursuit of excellence. So what is the difference between Good and Great?
The Good is expected, the Great is recognized. Goodness is required or desired, whereas Greatness is respected and revered. Goodness is forgotten with time, Greatness becomes a timeless memory.
Look around you. Look at all the towering buildings. They were made by ordinary people and collectively they build these edifices to humanity. Look at the Taj Mahal or the Great Wall of China. Look at the creations of Michelangelo. Look at the great cities of London, Rome, Paris, Vienna. Think of how Hiroshima and Nagasaki were reconstructed (and so fast) after the atomic bombs were dropped on them.
All this my friends is Greatness in ACTION
The Great happens when ordinary people do extraordinary things. The Great happens when you refuse to pass yourself off as just another ordinary human being. No compromises. You can be Great! So why not try?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
You are Right !
Whether you believe you can, or believe you can’t…you are right!
Henry Ford.
A.R.Rahman was a poor boy whose father died when Rahman was barely a teenager. In the year 2004 I saw a play “Bollywood Dreams” in Victoria Theater of London, the music of which was composed by Rahman. From the reaction of the mainly English audience, who were literally dancing in their seats, it was obvious that Hindi music and Rahman were going to go places. The recent Oscars prove the point.
But, it also proves other and more important points: The world does reward talent. It does reward hard work and persistence. It does reward sincerity.
Above all, it rewards those who believe in themselves and work single mindedly towards achieving something meaningful in their lives. It can be money, but most of all good work in the world is done to achieve excellence rather than monetary gain.
How to get there? Start with yourself. Do you believe you can ?
Henry Ford.
A.R.Rahman was a poor boy whose father died when Rahman was barely a teenager. In the year 2004 I saw a play “Bollywood Dreams” in Victoria Theater of London, the music of which was composed by Rahman. From the reaction of the mainly English audience, who were literally dancing in their seats, it was obvious that Hindi music and Rahman were going to go places. The recent Oscars prove the point.
But, it also proves other and more important points: The world does reward talent. It does reward hard work and persistence. It does reward sincerity.
Above all, it rewards those who believe in themselves and work single mindedly towards achieving something meaningful in their lives. It can be money, but most of all good work in the world is done to achieve excellence rather than monetary gain.
How to get there? Start with yourself. Do you believe you can ?
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