A Real Smile Does More Than Cure Your Ill Feelings. A Real Smile Melts Away Opposition…. (The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Swartz).
Busy in the business of running our daily lives, we have forgotten how to smile. Especially when it comes to work, we are so concerned with looking professional that we end up looking like stuck up idiots. I once worked for a company where my boss made it a point to look angry whenever he entered the office. For good measure, he would throw a tantrum within the first few minutes. The idea was to scare and intimidate everyone around. He succeeded quite well and we all made an effort to stay out of sight. If asked a question, we would keep our honest opinions to ourselves and try and tell what we thought the "boss" would like to hear.
I accept that anger can be used as a management tool. But once in a while, not all the time! When the manager comes into the office, his/her mood can set the mood of the staff for day. What would you prefer ? Happy employees working in tandem or people shit scared to tell you the truth and too intimidated to do anything meaningful ?
To all Healol managers : Please smile more often. Especially when you enter the office. You will be able to achieve more. A smile melts away opposition. You are ALWAYS on Candid Camera…..SMILE lah !!!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Indian Revenge (and Be Quiet)
I NEVER talk politics on my blog but just could not resist this one...
The Indian Prime Minister in in the U.S. of A this weekend. And he is lecturing Obama as to what should be done in Afghanistan and what should be done to Pakistan !!! How times change....
I am amused. This modern day Chankya strategy really seems to be working!!!
Fact....., China invaded India in 1962 to teach India a lesson ( as per Mao's words). Now they have learnt a few lessons themselves. India has one man called the Dalai Lama. Supposedly he is Chinese but speaks English in Indian accent. China cannot fight that one man with all it's nuclear or non-nuclear arsenel. As they say, a single mosquito in the room can spoil your sleep. Dalai Lama has been spoiling Chinese sleep for 50 years. May he do the same for many years to come. I call it the Indian Revenge.
(My wife is Chinese and she too is capable of this atrocity of loss of sleep on me. I love her anyway or atleast we both tolerate each other). That is the Chinese Revenge.
Fact..... Pakistan, with all it's terrorists and politicians (who support terrorism), is a failed state. I once read an article from one Major Ayaz Amir, in Dawn of Pakistan, that said that ISI should continue bleeding India slowly and continuously by terrorist acts since the Pakistan Army cannot win an all out war against India. This guy (Major Ayaz Amir) must be eating his words with a pinch or a sackful of salt now. Pakistan is at war with itself. What do you mean by winning this war in NWFP, Balochistan or rest of Pakistan ? Killing it's own citizens ? How many killed and how many displaced ? Pakistan WANTS to look good in the eyes of the world. It does not want to BE good. The Pakistanis try to justify or explain away each atrocity committed by their ISI trained criminals at home or abroad. Now the world is watching on CNN and Discovery channel the crimes that were planned in Pakistan and were committed in Mumbai. Major Ayaz....Indian revenge ...???
No explaination required here. Enough to say that those who sleep with the devil get impregnated by the devil and so be it........ Nov 26th is the anniversary of Mumbai attacks. I hope that Major Ayaz (who is now a politician) may find time to reflect where his advice has taken his country.
Fact....Russia got it's first US Dollars from India after the collapse of Soviet Union and therefore their economic system. Russia was and has remained a good neighbour to India. It is gaining economic strength due to it's energy resources. A strong Russia means a good strong friend for India. If you live in a good neighbourhood, chances are that you will progress too. Pakistan chose to be with the far off US of A. India kept USA at an arm's distance. The fact of the times required that India needed a friend in a hostile neighbourhood, being surrounded by East and West Pakistan and China. Now USA drones are firing misslies inside Pakistan. Call it friendly fire Maj. Ayaz ??? Or call it the Indian revenge ??
Fact....Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan, and liberated by Indian help) is quietly succeeding in economic terms. It has forgotten it's Pakistani and fanatic religious past and is concentrating on uplifting the lot of it's people. Why can't we all look at this country and learn from it ? Gramin Bank was formed here. Biodiversity is preserved, recycling is done as a matter of survival, carbon footprints of industries are minimal, no major wars or insurgencies, the only problem is between two women as to who will be the chief. This country is doing what others would like to do without making a big noise. Though being on the frontline of all weather problems, be they be tsunamis, ocean level rising or typhoons, the Bangladeshis are really trying hard to take the country somewhere. The Pakistanis are trying hard to commit suicide. Indian revenge ???
Friends, this is the crux of the matter. Don't shout when you are half way there. Get there and then (when you are there), there will be no need to shout. The world would know that you have arrived. Indians should learn from Bangladesh. I admire that country and wish them the best. May your efforts be rewarded...Jai Ho......
The Indian Prime Minister in in the U.S. of A this weekend. And he is lecturing Obama as to what should be done in Afghanistan and what should be done to Pakistan !!! How times change....
I am amused. This modern day Chankya strategy really seems to be working!!!
Fact....., China invaded India in 1962 to teach India a lesson ( as per Mao's words). Now they have learnt a few lessons themselves. India has one man called the Dalai Lama. Supposedly he is Chinese but speaks English in Indian accent. China cannot fight that one man with all it's nuclear or non-nuclear arsenel. As they say, a single mosquito in the room can spoil your sleep. Dalai Lama has been spoiling Chinese sleep for 50 years. May he do the same for many years to come. I call it the Indian Revenge.
(My wife is Chinese and she too is capable of this atrocity of loss of sleep on me. I love her anyway or atleast we both tolerate each other). That is the Chinese Revenge.
Fact..... Pakistan, with all it's terrorists and politicians (who support terrorism), is a failed state. I once read an article from one Major Ayaz Amir, in Dawn of Pakistan, that said that ISI should continue bleeding India slowly and continuously by terrorist acts since the Pakistan Army cannot win an all out war against India. This guy (Major Ayaz Amir) must be eating his words with a pinch or a sackful of salt now. Pakistan is at war with itself. What do you mean by winning this war in NWFP, Balochistan or rest of Pakistan ? Killing it's own citizens ? How many killed and how many displaced ? Pakistan WANTS to look good in the eyes of the world. It does not want to BE good. The Pakistanis try to justify or explain away each atrocity committed by their ISI trained criminals at home or abroad. Now the world is watching on CNN and Discovery channel the crimes that were planned in Pakistan and were committed in Mumbai. Major Ayaz....Indian revenge ...???
No explaination required here. Enough to say that those who sleep with the devil get impregnated by the devil and so be it........ Nov 26th is the anniversary of Mumbai attacks. I hope that Major Ayaz (who is now a politician) may find time to reflect where his advice has taken his country.
Fact....Russia got it's first US Dollars from India after the collapse of Soviet Union and therefore their economic system. Russia was and has remained a good neighbour to India. It is gaining economic strength due to it's energy resources. A strong Russia means a good strong friend for India. If you live in a good neighbourhood, chances are that you will progress too. Pakistan chose to be with the far off US of A. India kept USA at an arm's distance. The fact of the times required that India needed a friend in a hostile neighbourhood, being surrounded by East and West Pakistan and China. Now USA drones are firing misslies inside Pakistan. Call it friendly fire Maj. Ayaz ??? Or call it the Indian revenge ??
Fact....Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan, and liberated by Indian help) is quietly succeeding in economic terms. It has forgotten it's Pakistani and fanatic religious past and is concentrating on uplifting the lot of it's people. Why can't we all look at this country and learn from it ? Gramin Bank was formed here. Biodiversity is preserved, recycling is done as a matter of survival, carbon footprints of industries are minimal, no major wars or insurgencies, the only problem is between two women as to who will be the chief. This country is doing what others would like to do without making a big noise. Though being on the frontline of all weather problems, be they be tsunamis, ocean level rising or typhoons, the Bangladeshis are really trying hard to take the country somewhere. The Pakistanis are trying hard to commit suicide. Indian revenge ???
Friends, this is the crux of the matter. Don't shout when you are half way there. Get there and then (when you are there), there will be no need to shout. The world would know that you have arrived. Indians should learn from Bangladesh. I admire that country and wish them the best. May your efforts be rewarded...Jai Ho......
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Ambition..the dirty word
Ambition can be a fiend or an angel. Ambition can be likened to a spirited, speedy horse; it can carry us quickly over much ground if we keep a proper rein on it and guide it along the right road, but if given too much rein, it is in danger of landing us in the ditch.
B.C.Forbes (Founder of Forbes Magazine, 1917)
When talking about the ambitions of managers and colleagues, we often get confused. Either the person is “over ambitious or has no ambition at all!
Much as we use, respect and revile the word AMBITION, we fail to define the limit when a person has just the right amount of ambition. Do we expect each and every one to have the same amount of ambition? Or do we expect some to be very ambitious and others to hold their horses, both, just to suit our selfishly thought out script of how life should be at that particular time with that particular person?
Is being ambitious important or simply doing one’s best is good enough?
What defines the fine line between ambition and stupidity, between an angel and a fiend or between soaring to great heights and falling headlong into disaster, all due to ambition?
I think that I have confused myself enough with this debate. Flying in the air like birds must have been an impossible dream of man for centuries, now it is done regularly, and that too at twice or thrice the speed of sound. A machine which calculates a million times faster than a man was a ridiculous thought, but today our hand phones have more brain power than a dozen professors of mathematics combined. A man walking on the moon was fairy tale material till it was actually done. Looking at and talking to a person sitting a world away must have been a fantasy till just a few years ago. Now we can't imagine a world without live television, real time data transfers and video conferencing.
And all this happened because someone had a stupid ambition to do what was considered mission impossible. The guys who achieved all this did not put a rein on their ambition as the great finance guru Mr. Forbes postulated.
They let their ambition run wild. And thus, they changed the world for ever!
At the end of the day, I think ambition is a positive word, which is used to define the state of mind of people who dare and succeed in their set goals. Those who may be daring geniuses, but do not succeed are called stupid and “Over Ambitious”. There is a fine line here. Great success seldom comes at the first try. Great success at something amazingly different, achieved at the first attempt is more likely to be a lucky accident rather than real achievement. Hence, ambition needs an indomitable spirit and perseverance before one sees success. In the meanwhile, be ready to be laughed at, ridiculed and/or ignored (if you are lucky).
Mother Teresa once said, “When you are successful, you will have few real friends and many real enemies. Succeed anyway!”. In other words, let today’s failures be the foundation of future success. Be ambitious. Define and strive for your goals. You owe that to yourself and to all those who define who and what you are in God’s universe.
B.C.Forbes (Founder of Forbes Magazine, 1917)
When talking about the ambitions of managers and colleagues, we often get confused. Either the person is “over ambitious or has no ambition at all!
Much as we use, respect and revile the word AMBITION, we fail to define the limit when a person has just the right amount of ambition. Do we expect each and every one to have the same amount of ambition? Or do we expect some to be very ambitious and others to hold their horses, both, just to suit our selfishly thought out script of how life should be at that particular time with that particular person?
Is being ambitious important or simply doing one’s best is good enough?
What defines the fine line between ambition and stupidity, between an angel and a fiend or between soaring to great heights and falling headlong into disaster, all due to ambition?
I think that I have confused myself enough with this debate. Flying in the air like birds must have been an impossible dream of man for centuries, now it is done regularly, and that too at twice or thrice the speed of sound. A machine which calculates a million times faster than a man was a ridiculous thought, but today our hand phones have more brain power than a dozen professors of mathematics combined. A man walking on the moon was fairy tale material till it was actually done. Looking at and talking to a person sitting a world away must have been a fantasy till just a few years ago. Now we can't imagine a world without live television, real time data transfers and video conferencing.
And all this happened because someone had a stupid ambition to do what was considered mission impossible. The guys who achieved all this did not put a rein on their ambition as the great finance guru Mr. Forbes postulated.
They let their ambition run wild. And thus, they changed the world for ever!
At the end of the day, I think ambition is a positive word, which is used to define the state of mind of people who dare and succeed in their set goals. Those who may be daring geniuses, but do not succeed are called stupid and “Over Ambitious”. There is a fine line here. Great success seldom comes at the first try. Great success at something amazingly different, achieved at the first attempt is more likely to be a lucky accident rather than real achievement. Hence, ambition needs an indomitable spirit and perseverance before one sees success. In the meanwhile, be ready to be laughed at, ridiculed and/or ignored (if you are lucky).
Mother Teresa once said, “When you are successful, you will have few real friends and many real enemies. Succeed anyway!”. In other words, let today’s failures be the foundation of future success. Be ambitious. Define and strive for your goals. You owe that to yourself and to all those who define who and what you are in God’s universe.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
A Song Without Melody
A life spent without any achievement to talk about, nothing to say to children about your experiments and experiences, nothing to be remembered for once you are gone is like a song without melody or music.
It is not a song at all.
To all my colleagues at Healol and to all my friends I send a message:
Travel
Experience
Experiment
Achieve
Create
Enjoy all of the above. And more
These are the DOs.....
The Don'ts are as follows:
Don't be angry,
disgruntled,
disheartened,
disturbing (heh heh),
disssatisfied without reason,
and please dont do anything negative that starts with "Dis" and is joined with another word. (Mind you Discuss is a single word).
Life can be a song. A song needs both, lyrics and melody. Lyrics bring the meaning (in life), music or melody says volumes about the way how we live.
Life may not be perfect, (since nothing is), but it can be good.....The Song of Life with Lyrics of Purpose and Deed, made beautiful by the Melody and Music of the way we live.
Jai Ho!
It is not a song at all.
To all my colleagues at Healol and to all my friends I send a message:
Travel
Experience
Experiment
Achieve
Create
Enjoy all of the above. And more
These are the DOs.....
The Don'ts are as follows:
Don't be angry,
disgruntled,
disheartened,
disturbing (heh heh),
disssatisfied without reason,
and please dont do anything negative that starts with "Dis" and is joined with another word. (Mind you Discuss is a single word).
Life can be a song. A song needs both, lyrics and melody. Lyrics bring the meaning (in life), music or melody says volumes about the way how we live.
Life may not be perfect, (since nothing is), but it can be good.....The Song of Life with Lyrics of Purpose and Deed, made beautiful by the Melody and Music of the way we live.
Let the music begin...
Jai Ho!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
A Fortune Teller Told Me
I once read a wonderful book by Tiziano Terzani called "A FORTUNE TELLER TOLD ME"
The book's story is set in Thailand and is a true account of what happened to the author. (I have a special interest as Thailand is like my second home). A fortune teller tells this guy not to board a helicopter and it so happens that he somehow cannot (board) anyway. The guy replacing him does, the helicopter crashes, and everyone aboard died. The book is a book, part fact part emotions (not exactly fiction, but dramatized a bit based on facts). The crash really happened. People died.
So.....I read my own Janam Patri (Horescope) recently, at the age of 52, written by the "Great" Bhrigu Shastri, the greatest Hindu academic priest in his time. (Since my father was a Big Shot, nothing less would suffice). Bhrigu Shastri was the Greatest and since I was the youngest in the family (and therefore most loved and my father's favourite), I got most of everything.
I also learned (at great pain) to share and care. Slaps were frequent. Especilly if I ate before my mother. Kisses and hugs were frequent too. What to do? Indians will be indians.....What to do ? We are like this only....
When I used to come back from Delhi Public School, our family driver and family member (Gulzar Singh Gill) or Kaka as my father called him, (Kaka meaning Son in Punjabi) would have 100 grams of Kalakand for me. Indians will know what I am talking about. If I was naughty or misbihaved with Kaka, a swift and harsh reaction was to be expected from Papa (my father).
Getting back to what the Fortune Teller (Bhrigu Shastry) said about me when I was just a newborn. Gosh...It was so accurate that I have now started believing that there may be some sense in stars and numbers.
These guys, old guys, did have something solid. My predicted horescope is accurate to an extent that is amazing.
Which brings us to the question..... Can you really predict anything ?
My answer...don't discard "anything" before studying carefully. There may be a lot there, waiting to be discovered....Isn't discovery our purpose in life ??? Go forth, experiment, discover...Be blessed for ever....
The book's story is set in Thailand and is a true account of what happened to the author. (I have a special interest as Thailand is like my second home). A fortune teller tells this guy not to board a helicopter and it so happens that he somehow cannot (board) anyway. The guy replacing him does, the helicopter crashes, and everyone aboard died. The book is a book, part fact part emotions (not exactly fiction, but dramatized a bit based on facts). The crash really happened. People died.
So.....I read my own Janam Patri (Horescope) recently, at the age of 52, written by the "Great" Bhrigu Shastri, the greatest Hindu academic priest in his time. (Since my father was a Big Shot, nothing less would suffice). Bhrigu Shastri was the Greatest and since I was the youngest in the family (and therefore most loved and my father's favourite), I got most of everything.
I also learned (at great pain) to share and care. Slaps were frequent. Especilly if I ate before my mother. Kisses and hugs were frequent too. What to do? Indians will be indians.....What to do ? We are like this only....
When I used to come back from Delhi Public School, our family driver and family member (Gulzar Singh Gill) or Kaka as my father called him, (Kaka meaning Son in Punjabi) would have 100 grams of Kalakand for me. Indians will know what I am talking about. If I was naughty or misbihaved with Kaka, a swift and harsh reaction was to be expected from Papa (my father).
Getting back to what the Fortune Teller (Bhrigu Shastry) said about me when I was just a newborn. Gosh...It was so accurate that I have now started believing that there may be some sense in stars and numbers.
These guys, old guys, did have something solid. My predicted horescope is accurate to an extent that is amazing.
Which brings us to the question..... Can you really predict anything ?
My answer...don't discard "anything" before studying carefully. There may be a lot there, waiting to be discovered....Isn't discovery our purpose in life ??? Go forth, experiment, discover...Be blessed for ever....
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Your Dharma as a Manager
O King, Be Formidable and Firm,
Like a Rock, and follow your Duty
(Yajur Veda)
The duty of Managers is not to be liked or loved. Their duty is to be effective.
You have to be effective for the organization, effective for all the stakeholders, including staff, company owners, bankers etc.
Yet most managers want to be liked and loved by their colleagues. It is a fatal mistake.
The Vedas say it quite clear as stated above.
Be Formidable and Firm as in Uncompromising on basic Principles. Or else you are lost forever. You lose sight of Principles and you are in un-chartered waters. People have gone to jail for straying. Don’t do it. It’s just not worth it.
Be like a Rock so that your integrity is uncompromised and unquestioned for ever.
Follow your duty to achieve (with integrity) what needs to be achieved.
Never compromise on being firm, or following your duty to what is your target.
Don’t let others under your care take short cuts too. Their idiocy will reflect on you.
That does not mean being inhuman. It means being a good, honest, hard working human being who doesn’t compromise on basic Principals.
Is there a choice ???
Like a Rock, and follow your Duty
(Yajur Veda)
The duty of Managers is not to be liked or loved. Their duty is to be effective.
You have to be effective for the organization, effective for all the stakeholders, including staff, company owners, bankers etc.
Yet most managers want to be liked and loved by their colleagues. It is a fatal mistake.
The Vedas say it quite clear as stated above.
Be Formidable and Firm as in Uncompromising on basic Principles. Or else you are lost forever. You lose sight of Principles and you are in un-chartered waters. People have gone to jail for straying. Don’t do it. It’s just not worth it.
Be like a Rock so that your integrity is uncompromised and unquestioned for ever.
Follow your duty to achieve (with integrity) what needs to be achieved.
Never compromise on being firm, or following your duty to what is your target.
Don’t let others under your care take short cuts too. Their idiocy will reflect on you.
That does not mean being inhuman. It means being a good, honest, hard working human being who doesn’t compromise on basic Principals.
Is there a choice ???
Friday, July 3, 2009
My Mind is Without Fear
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free, Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls. Where words come out from the depth of truth, Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection. Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habitWhere the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action, Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
(Gurudev) Rabindra Nath Tagore. Nobel Laureate.
When I was studying at Delhi Public School at Mathura Road in New Delhi, (at that time that was the only DPS, as I am talking of 1961 and I was 4 years old), we had a Principal by the name of Mr. Din Dayal. He was a six footer with a mind as sharp as a knife and a cane as long as could be. He ran a tight and disciplined ship. No b***sh*t allowed. If you come late by 2 minutes to school, you will feel the sting of the cane on your small palms.
The grandson of our then President Dr. Zakir Hussein, Salman Khurshid , (later the foreign minister of India and now Corporate Affairs Minister) was the Head Boy. He took pleasure in telling us that our nails were not trimmed proper, or our shoe laces were not tied neatly, and a small insult would follow. But he was always decent if not perfect (since the Prefects were under him). I guess he left the dirty work for them. But I do remember him fondly.
The only consolation from the daily tortures that we went through (of strict and uncompromising madams who taught us) was a chat with my good friend, Alberuni Kidwai, who happened to be another grandson of Dr. Zakir Hussein. He was my classmate, friend and a good one at that. Humble to the extent that was unbelievable. We used to come to school in the same bus (I 31), he from Jamia Milia Islamia University and I from Defence Colony. I truly miss him and hope that one day I will be able to meet him again.
Every day we had an assembly and every day of the week we had a different prayer. Naturally, Mr. Din Dayal would lead. Black gown and all in place. The one prayer that I remember most is the one that I have mentioned above. From Rabindra Nath Tagore.
In the days when you are 4 years old, these words make no sense to you. Now, at this age of mine, they do make sense and I am happy that I am a part of “my country”. I also understand "my father", better.
I have retained my Indian citizenship for whatever it is worth, I have retained Indian citizenship for my children. It gives us an identity. We did not chose to be born in a particular country or race, but it gives us a responsibility to do the best we can for our stock.
I have done most of my work in and with India and have tried to do as well as I could for myself as well as for India. This is for my personal satisfaction. So be it !
My mind is without fear and my head is held high……..My father …lead me where you want to…….thought and action is my responsibility.......The rest, I leave to you...
(Gurudev) Rabindra Nath Tagore. Nobel Laureate.
When I was studying at Delhi Public School at Mathura Road in New Delhi, (at that time that was the only DPS, as I am talking of 1961 and I was 4 years old), we had a Principal by the name of Mr. Din Dayal. He was a six footer with a mind as sharp as a knife and a cane as long as could be. He ran a tight and disciplined ship. No b***sh*t allowed. If you come late by 2 minutes to school, you will feel the sting of the cane on your small palms.
The grandson of our then President Dr. Zakir Hussein, Salman Khurshid , (later the foreign minister of India and now Corporate Affairs Minister) was the Head Boy. He took pleasure in telling us that our nails were not trimmed proper, or our shoe laces were not tied neatly, and a small insult would follow. But he was always decent if not perfect (since the Prefects were under him). I guess he left the dirty work for them. But I do remember him fondly.
The only consolation from the daily tortures that we went through (of strict and uncompromising madams who taught us) was a chat with my good friend, Alberuni Kidwai, who happened to be another grandson of Dr. Zakir Hussein. He was my classmate, friend and a good one at that. Humble to the extent that was unbelievable. We used to come to school in the same bus (I 31), he from Jamia Milia Islamia University and I from Defence Colony. I truly miss him and hope that one day I will be able to meet him again.
Every day we had an assembly and every day of the week we had a different prayer. Naturally, Mr. Din Dayal would lead. Black gown and all in place. The one prayer that I remember most is the one that I have mentioned above. From Rabindra Nath Tagore.
In the days when you are 4 years old, these words make no sense to you. Now, at this age of mine, they do make sense and I am happy that I am a part of “my country”. I also understand "my father", better.
I have retained my Indian citizenship for whatever it is worth, I have retained Indian citizenship for my children. It gives us an identity. We did not chose to be born in a particular country or race, but it gives us a responsibility to do the best we can for our stock.
I have done most of my work in and with India and have tried to do as well as I could for myself as well as for India. This is for my personal satisfaction. So be it !
My mind is without fear and my head is held high……..My father …lead me where you want to…….thought and action is my responsibility.......The rest, I leave to you...
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