Knowledge is Power! - by Varun Gupta, educationist

God is in danger because of believers!

2010-12-31T12:53:00.003+05:30

God is great!

He is defined as omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent.

But nowadays, his authority is challenged time and again. And the question comes up, who is harming the kingdom of Almighty - his followers (believers) or non-believers?

My take is - those who claim to be his believers are harming his image. Those who don't believe in him can't harm him at all.

Like it or not, but those who believe in God are expected to live up to it. The feeling of his existence and his being there for us is expected to produce a continuous sense of protection. This belief is bound to take one in an emotion of bliss. One should be serene and calm in all situations.

But what do we see? We have so many believers in the world today who claim to be staunch believers in discussions but are sometimes short of proving it by their actions and reactions. And the world around gets a clear message, 'If this is the behavior of a believer, He might not be there!' What bigger disservice to the almighty is possible?

Watch your heart.

Watch your eyes.

Watch your actions.

Watch your reactions.

Watch your thoughts.

Dear believers, watch yourself. You are solely responsible for your Karma but you are bringing a bad name to the almighty.

Let us bring our belief into action! In whatever we do!!

Sportspersons ain't needed in sports!

2010-08-17T19:23:00.004+05:30

Recently, I put a query on a popular social networking site, "Why can't we have a simple rule that only sports persons can run sports institutions and only academicians can run academic institutions?" This question had really been puzzling me for a number of days and I wanted to use the online social media to have a quick round of general opinion survey. The outcome was a pleasant surprise.

I got 10 replies in all. A simple reading of the same will prove that all of them are frank and honest expressions straight from the heart.

Some of them really felt that relevant field experience is a must to administrate a field. A very learned lady opined, "The forthcoming Commonwealth Games makes one ponder. Why? Sonna tapp kar hei Kundan banta hai, Agar sona lohar ke haath mey dey diya jaye to kya hoga. Yeh haal kuch aise hei hai." It was very clear from this opinion that absence of relevant experience decreases the acceptability of a person and keeps him on test in the eyes of public. Similarly, a very ambitious and energetic young engineer expressed his views in these words, "Exactly sir! Common sense is so uncommon these days & moreover it's India, sir, jahan sab ek ajube se kam nahi he!"

On the other hand, many of them clearly supported the other view. They believed that management is a professional job, may it be academic or sports, the tricks of institution management are same everywhere. "To run an institution some manipulative and administrative skills are required which are not the mandatory conditions to be a good sportsperson." Another one said, "Institutions need to be run by capable Leaders. Be it Sports or Academic; Managing both requires sound knowledge and more than knowledge Matured Head and Right Attitude..I'm not for sportsmen to run sport institutions and other way round......There are examples which support this and vice versa. We have seen Greg Chapel leading Australian's Cricket Camp successfully and failed to do so with Indian Team. Our great Dr A P J Abdul Kalam is a great leader and has been able to play multiple roles and has been one of the most successful leaders of all times." And another experienced administrator posted, "They can be good as faculty. But administrators are administrators. By that way sanitation, health, civic people cannot run municipal corporation. We need planners, executors and administrators."

The discussion was very enjoyable, of course! It was getting very difficult for me to moderate the same as the arguments from both the sides sounded very logical ones. I asked to myself, "How would i strike a golden mean in the ongoing debate?" And then suddenly someone commented as a reply to the same query, "Life is complicated ...that's why this world is also complicated." A very good way to wind up a discussion. And this comment actually did the same. But the question remained.

I conducted a little survey in the real world. And the results were shocking. Politicians are everywhere. Builders are everywhere. Liquor merchants are everywhere. Education and Sports are controlled by them in this nation to a great extent.

Should we complain? Should we object? No! I can't. I simply object to the optimism of our dear futurologist Mr Alvin Toffler. Knowledge is not yet power. At least not in our dear India. Muscle power and money power still hold the baton. And who dares to challenge?

Systemic and systematic downfall of the system!

2010-05-31T14:16:00.005+05:30

Who is more responsible for the falling standards(?) of education in India today - students or teachers?

This was the topic given to a group of 12 school students for a general discussion in a spoken English class. The consensus that emerged was interesting. The group concluded that some students are at fault, some teachers may also be at fault but largely it is the responsibility of the 'System'.

* * * * *

People normally tend to criticize politicians for many of their problems. Whatever may be the level of the problem : local, regional or national - it is some or the other politician or sometimes the entire political class that is to be blamed. A very big majority believes that politics is the last haven for the scoundrels. This conclusion may have a strong opposition too. But still, few will dispute the fact that good people are finding it very tough to enter the field of politics. And why is it so? Ask anyone and the most likely answer would hold the 'System' responsible for this challenging situation.

* * * * *

The role of Media is also in news these days. Print, audio-visual or electronic, all types of media are under the scanner. Many people tend to whisper about the need to regulate the sector. Nearly all the political parties, in private confidential discussions, impress the need to bring a set of regulations to make media behave. But no one dares to say anything in public. 'Paid news' has become such a known phenomenon, still nobody raises a voice officially. Why so? "What can be done? It is the System of the day!"

* * * * *

Let us again come to the field of education. What is the condition of our universities today? Everybody is aware about the pressure tactics adopted in the appointment of vice chancellors. Campuses have become the playing field of the various political parties. But nobody seems to worry. It is the 'System' of the day!

* * * * *

Let us ponder for a moment. Why is it so that we all tend to accept the system? We all believe that the system has to be accepted without any question. And when any sincere, intelligent, independent minded entrepreneur wants to establish something new and better, the system tries its level best not to allow this positive change to become the order of the day. And not so surprisingly, when an average person wants to establish his own enterprise without any big positive change or vision, the system never opposes, rather supports the same.

As a nation, have we ceased to be alive and kicking? How long will the system of accepting follies of the System continue?

Let me make one suggestion. Students should be encouraged to prepare the model rules for various systems. Let them be in public domain. Online social media can be a very good plateform for everyone to keep a watch and contribute.

Let me ask two things to my readers. One, can you try to define the System? And two, can some independent group take up the task of preparing model code of conduct for the media today?

Active non-action or productive busyness

2010-04-16T12:42:00.003+05:30

Today i read a very interesting write-up by the great Management thinker Sumantra Ghoshal. This write-up provides tremendous insights about the criminal wastage of executive time and also suggests the solution for the same.

I suggest everyone to read it.

"NO DOUBT, executives are under incredible pressure to perform, and they have far too much to do, even when they work 12-hour days. But the fact is, very few managers use their time as effectively as they could. They think they’re attending to pressing matters, but they’re really just spinning their wheels. The awareness that unproductive busyness — what we call “active non-action” — is a hazard for managers is not new. Managers themselves bemoan the problem, and researchers have examined it. But the underlying dynamics of the behaviour are less well understood. For the past 10 years, we have studied the behaviour of busy managers in nearly a dozen large companies. Our findings suggest that fully 90% of managers squander their time in all sorts of ineffective activities. We came to the conclusion that managers who take effective action (those who make difficult — even seemingly impossible — things happen) rely on a combination of two traits: focus and energy. Think of focus as concentrated attention — the ability to zero in on a goal and see the task through to completion.

Focused managers aren’t in reactive mode; they choose not to respond immediately to every issue that comes their way or get sidetracked from their goals by distractions like e-mail, meetings, setbacks, and unforeseen demands. Because they have a clear understanding of what they want to accomplish, they carefully weigh their options before selecting a course of action."

In search of failure....

2010-03-23T12:42:00.006+05:30

What is the sure shot way to success?

Oh! It seems so commonplace! There is a plethora of books on such topics. A number of self-proclaimed management gurus, Success gurus, motivation gurus etc have devoted millions of pages to describe and prescribe the same. Then why this question? And why this blog post?

This morning i read a book with the title In Search of Failure. An interesting, funny book that tells the young generation not only to expect and accept failure but also to enjoy it. The book does provide an interesting reading. But i am not going to discuss the gist or the message of the book here. I'll just tell you the idea that struck me when i saw the title of the book.

And that is :

"The sure shot way to success lies in search of failure".

Failure does not happen at one stroke. Something somewhere is always failing. And when the degree of failure reaches tipping point, two things happen simultaneously. One, the failure becomes noticeable to all. Two, the failure becomes so big that it is now very difficult to reverse the procedure i.e. to convert the failure into success.

Hence, the secret of success lies in search of failure. Keep on searching failures in the system. And if you are able to find it before the tipping point, congratulate yourself. Success will be easier now. And if you are not able to find out any failure in the system or the organization, bad news!

"The sure shot way to failure lies in not finding any failures".

Interesting? Frightening? A play of words? Your decision, please. I just shared what came to my mind.

It's time to shut up!

2010-03-02T15:14:00.012+05:30

Last fortnight has been very eventful for me. On February 16, i was diagnosed with a teachers' nodule on my vocal cord. I was operated for the same on Feb 20, and then was prescribed total vocal rest for 8 days. I could speak again in the evening yesterday, on 1st March. During these 8 days, i was working regularly at my office. I saw people also, with the only difference being that i was communicating in written mode only. I used to carry a card in my pocket with the following message :

" Hello!

I am taking medical treatment.

Voice rest. Can't talk.

But I can listen.

And I can reply in writing."

It was very interesting experience. Very humorous as well as tense situations developed in the process. But that is not the subject matter of this particular post. In this post, i want to discuss my thought process during this vocal rest.

A lot of ideas kept on coming in the meantime. Many of those thoughts deserved a separate blog post. But what kept me waiting for the right moment was the fact that many thoughts changed during this period, many ideas matured and thus the situation was very fluid.

Let me share with you now, some of the lessons of the silent period :

1. People pay more attention to you when you don't speak. They somehow treat you with more honour. Your statements ( written, of course!) carry more value.

2. There is a copycat in many of us. Many people proceeded to write their queries when they saw me writing. In fact, i had to remind many of them (by writing, of course) that they can very well speak and i can very well listen too!

3. When someone asks a question and you reply in writing, more often that not, while writing the answer, you tend to change the same. It so happens that you keep on observing the situation and hence you modify the earlier thought answer.

4. Silence is a great energy saver. I could never realize how much energy we consume by speaking. I never felt tired or exhausted during the period of silence, in spite of the fact that the food i was taking for the first seven days consisted of Dalia or Khichadi only!

5. It is impossible to pick up a fight with anyone while you do not speak.

6. Every book on Human Relations talks about the importance of observing others at the time of any discussion or interaction. I had always carried the misconception that i can do the same very effectively. But this silence made me realize that while you speak you miss out a very large portion of observable facts and hints. You must be silent to be able to observe effectively.

7. At last the most important learning. It is not necessary to speak at all in many situations. When you cannot speak, you realize that, more often than not, it is not only possible but convenient and beneficial too, not to speak!

It's time to shut up!

How much to plan?

2010-02-22T15:56:00.004+05:30

This morning i met an ambitious young engineer. He has come back to his native town after working for an IT company for nearly two years. A question was asked to him about his future plans. He replied, "As of now i am trying to think and plan what to do. I hope to be able to think clearly within two or three months. Then i will decide what to do. Either it will be a fresh entrepreneurship venture or i will be joining my family business."

I know it is a very common thinking. Many young boys and girls think on the same lines. I remember someone telling me a week ago, " Sir, I have a job at my hands. But i want some time to think whether to join it or not. I hope that i will have a clear vision in two or three months. Then i will take a final call."

This is a classic confusion. I may also call it classic indecision or inaction. This situation may be compared with going on an unknown dark path with a single Deepak (an earthen lamp) in hand. We just can't wait for the entire path to be clearly visible before making a start. We can just see 10 to 15 feet ahead only. But it's also a fact that as we progress the way ahead will be visible. If we start, we shall always be able to visualize the path ahead and progress. If we don't start, we shall keep on waiting for eternity.

So the message is - just start! Take the first step. The road to success is never easy and never totally visible. But with a keen observation and the ability to take the right decision on every step, one can always reach the destination. The world is changing very fast and it will be useless to wait for having a clear vision. Remember, time and tide wait for none.

Now is the time.

Today is the day.

Do it now.

What can't be taught at a b-school!

2010-02-18T16:44:00.005+05:30

India has been witnessing a mushrooming growth of business schools for the last 10 years. All these business schools promise to create world class leaders. But not all are successful. What may be the reasons? Well, frankly speaking, only world class persons can be groomed to be world class leaders. And what do i mean by a world class person? Not much, simply a person possessing some skills and habits that are essential to be successful in this fast changing liberalized, globalized, privatized world! Let us take some such things one by one :

1. Attention efficiency :

We are surrounded by excellent learning opportunities. If we are able to use this great gift of God to all the mortal ones known as attention efficiency, our mind will gradually pick up and store all what is needed to grow ahead. But what surprises me is that how ignorantly many people keep on passing through same experiences and situations without being able to pay attention to the obvious! I'll define Attention Efficiency as the tendency to notice the surroundings, and also as the natural habit to look at them, pay attention and learn as a result of it.

2. Belief in the power of knowledge :

Very easy to say, very difficult to practise! When it comes to real life, many youngsters are just incapable of believing in the power of knowledge. They tend to give undue importance to money, political power and other such illusory power sources.

3. Flexibility and adaptability :

There are no fixed roles in today's business set up. For God's sake, we have to overcome our age old bureaucratic mentality. In a government office, one would not move beyond his or her work space. But not in today's corporate world! A corporate leader is expected to take care of all unstructured situations. And this is true for everyone. The demands of a changing world order can never be static. One needs to champion flexibility and one has to adapt oneself to any situation or role.

4. Ability to unlearn and relearn :

It's really interesting to note how quickly the things we learn with keen interest become outdated. The world is changing very fast and the rate of change is also growing by leaps and bounds. Alwin Toffler has stated that illiterates of the twenty first century are not those who cannot read or write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn. We need constantly to relearn our lessons with some alterations and we also need to forget a lot many out of them!

5. Ability to accept his own fallibility :

We are human beings. We can and will make mistakes. But the more important fact is our ability to learn and move on. Lack of confidence has definitely caused many a career tremendous damage but so has over confidence too!

6. Quick learning skills :

The real learning happens on the streets or on the workplace. And a world class person is not only mentally ready to learn consistently but is also able to train his mental faculties to learn quick, real quick and everywhere!

7. Habit to read proactively :

Oh! Can we imagine a world without books? The lifetime wisdom and knowledge of a thinker is covered in a book. World class persons today are habitual of reading. They not only read a variety of material, but are also able to read proactively. They master the art of reading between the lines. They are able to gauge the mindset of the author and are also capable of discounting the impact of his or her illogical beliefs on the writings.

No business school can teach these things. In fact, no school or college can teach these. Then how can one acquire these valuable traits? A right attitude, willingness to stay relevant and respect for the world are some of those inherent skills that are required to pick up these habits. But one thing is sure. The probability of forming these habits is definitely higher in a developing economy that offers challenges to survive. I am sure contemporary India fulfils the conditions but of course, the commonly found parental care and over protection is a hurdle.

Let them grow. Let them face problems. Let them suffer from their mistakes. Just guide them to pay attention a bit more actively. That's it!

What does India mean?

2010-02-11T20:00:00.017+05:30

Did India exist before August 15, 1947?

There can be many answers.

Yes, we are a very old nation. We have been here since time immemorial. The British period was only an eclipse. Before them, we were known as a golden bird. We have always been a very solid, vibrant nation. We have been very advanced culturally.

No, in the present form, we did not exist before 1947. We were divided in many riyasats and each one was an independent political entity. In fact, British united us, they exploited us too, but then left us as one nation.

Oh, yes! We are the oldest nation on this earth. See the Vedas for example. The oldest books on this earth are testimony to our great cultural heritage.

But it would mean that we were a Hindu state primarily and many attacks, first by Mughals and then by Europeans made us a heterogeneous society.

No, of course not. We have always been a pluralistic society. Our Indian culture has been very dynamic and it has absorbed many other races that came here. Our history is a record of mixture of races and religions.

Okay! Let us try to analyse from a different perspective. What do we mean by India. Do we mean a socialist, sovereign, secular republic? Then definitely, it did not exist before August 15, 1947. But in some other form, we have surely been there. Otherwise, what is the rationale of cultural renaissance or the great Indian freedom struggle?

The entire debate comes to a central issue. What do we mean by India? What does being an Indian mean? If one says that India has existed for ages, what features of India have existed?

Very interesting and very open. I cannot define it. But India is something. And it is much beyond geographical and political definitions. As someone very rightly said, "You can take someone out of India, but you can never take India out of a person."

What is the option?

2010-02-04T11:25:00.005+05:30

Which is a better way to study - a wide extensive approach or a narrow intensive one?

We all come across some common decision making situations. At one time or another, we have to face them and try to make valid options. I call them questions of individual preferences. The above mentioned choice is a perfect example of the same.

This question can obviously have three possible answers.

First, Wide extensive approach is better as it suits more to the ever changing world scenario. One never knows what will be asked in the examination and so some idea of every possible aspect of the subject becomes necessary. Similarly one can always expect life to present unforeseen challenges now and again. An all rounder personality is more likely to emerge successful out of it.

Second, Narrow intensive approach is better. An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less. In today's market scenario every product or service category is being divided into newer and more specific categories. Hence, it is not only the better choice but also the only option available to gain maximum possible expertise in the identified area.

Third, Both are equally good. Which one to apply? This decision depends on availability of time and resources and the output required.

A more serious thinking gives us two very interesting cases.

Let us take the academic scene first. This is a very good example of continuous movement from wide extensive studies to narrow intensive studies. In initial classes, one studies Science as one subject. Then on High School level science divides itself into three subjects: Physics, Chemistry and Biology. When we further move to college level, Chemistry divides itself again into three area : Organic, Inorganic and Physical Chemistry. This process keeps on becoming more and more intensive and focused up to research level. Another similar example can be given of management courses. In all MBA and equivalent courses, the first year is normally devoted to teach 'Something about everything' while the teachings of the second specialisation year can be described as 'Everything about something'. And the final project semester covers a super specialisation. The same direction of becoming more and more focused and intensive continues here.

The corporate career scene is exactly reverse. One begins his or her career with a very specific assignment. This is mostly repetitive in nature. But as the new entrant becomes senior and gets one or two promotions, his job gets enlarged and he gets a higher position now encompassing more responsibilities. The men on the top mostly get a helicopter view of things. (what a good way to express wide extensive approach!)

So can one conclude that student life progresses from wide extensive study to narrow intensive one and the corporate career follows the reverse process?

There is one more aspect to be considered. What about wide intensive approach? Can somebody claim to know everything about everything? Seems very difficult but haven't online tools made this idea possible. With Google taking care of trivia, is it too much to ask for? Can't we expect our best people to have understanding of all subjects?

I would prefer to leave this topic here. I know that i am unable to end this thought process. Readers are requested to try and get some conclusion.

Discovery of India

2010-01-28T14:37:00.005+05:30

"Our nation is known for unity in diversity. We have many states but one nation. We have many languages but just one central ideology. We have many religions but just one composite culture. We have many castes but one core philosophy of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam."

Last week i was invited to preside over the annual function and prize distribution ceremony of a Higher Secondary School. A 15 year old girl, student of class 11, delivered the welcome speech and there she uttered the words quoted above in a very confident and energetic voice.

This speech helped me to go into a very different thought process. Although i totally agree with her strong belief in the unity of India, yet some disturbing trends are very clearly visible to every observing mind. I was able to recall that on the preceding day, someone had opined in a group discussion that India is more likely to continue to have coalition governments as it is itself a coalition of various cultures and ethnic groups.

If we continue to connect the dots, the rationale behind demands for separate states can also be found out in the fact that many groups do not associate themselves emotionally with the state they live in. Either cultural or linguistic identity is so different that they prefer to have a different state of their own.

Are we a unitary entity? Are we a federation of states? Our constitution concludes that we are a federal state having striking unitary features. But this issue cannot be so easily resolved. There are many issues that need to be addressed. Let us consider some of them:

1. We have many languages. We also have many linguistic families. The southern languages, the central Indian languages, the north eastern ones etc. have totally different linguistic histories. But we also find that lately English is growing very fast and encompassing the whole India. It has nearly become the second language of every Indian.

2. We have many religions. Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism were born here only. Zoroastrianism and Bahaism today are found in India only i.e. India is their only home today. Apart from these, we also find many Christians and Muslims here. Many sects of these religions are found in India only. For example, Bersheba Christians treat India as their only home. Daudi Bohras today are found in India only. Their Dharmguru also resides here only. But we also find that new age modern cosmopolitan spirituality is spreading very fast and encapsulating everyone.

Can the same logic be applied to economy as well? Are we one unitary economy or a constellation of many economies? Is it fair to compare our economy with some other economy like Singapore? Can Gujarat and West Bengal be parts of the same economy? When The Economist comments about Indian Economy, is it possible to apply the same yardstick to Tamilnadu and Arunachal Pradesh?

I would say that we are a group of many interdependent economies. I see every city or even town to have some very distinct features and economic activities typical to that geographical or civil unit only.

And this gives rise to the possibility of a lot of entrepreneurial ventures. We will continue to have a number of national brands and a much higher number of local brands as well. I also foresee every tier 2 and tier 3 city having their own TV channel and their own beauty pageants!

India can only be discovered in bits and pieces! And every bit of it is unique in its own sense. Every such unit has the potential to grow into a full fledged economy. We shall always remain one strong nation but economically the world must be ready to compete with hundreds of vibrant Indian economies.

This is really going to be very interesting!

An open mind!

2010-01-21T15:42:00.004+05:30

"Winners don't do different things, they do things differently." A great idea! Isn't it?

"There is never a right time or a right way to do a wrong thing." Another great idea! I am sure many of our readers would agree.

This morning, i was taking a class of about 40 students. The session was intended to develop the quality of delivery and content in a group discussion. We agreed to do an exercise. Everybody would tell the class a good quotation and the class would assess its effectiveness on the parameter of using it in a live group discussion. In that session, one student uttered the first quotation mentioned herein above. Nearly everybody agreed with this. Many of them were able to recall that famous motivation guru Shiv Khera often uses this in his speech and writings. There was not a single one in the class to oppose this thought. After 3 or 4 more contributions, someone presented the second idea written above. And she got a lot of accolades for speaking something wise and true. And then someone pointed out that both these thoughts appear to be contradictory. Both of them may not be correct together.

Although a very deep analysis may be able to find out an area that may accommodate both these wise sayings, yet the fact remains that one of these presents a counterpoint to the other.

It was a very interesting finding of the class that listeners are very often awed by some big names and tend to accept their thoughts without applying their own analysis. Any quotation attributed to Emerson, G.B.Shaw or Oscar Wilde, for example, is more likely to be accepted without any opposition. In contemporary India, similar respect (though illogical) is commonly offered to sentences attributed to Dr Kalam or Mahatma Gandhi.

What to call this? Is it intellectual terrorism supported by celebrity endorsement? Can it be compared with promotion of various products by celebrities?

Some further study revealed that any such thought when presented incognito i.e. without using the name of any thinker, is more likely to be discussed with an open mind. Is it branding? Is it accepting the intellectual supremacy of some names and considering them above evaluation?

Let us hope that the scientific attitude of testing and then accepting something expands to include such food for thought also in its ambit.

A case for productivity!

2010-01-13T13:12:00.005+05:30

What is the one thing you like most to do when you get up in the morning?

When i asked this question to a batch of 20 young and energetic students of undergraduate courses, i did not have the slightest of idea as to what is in store for me.

The initial answers were politically correct and less frank.

"I pray to God for this beautiful day."
"I take blessings of my elders and parents."
"I make a to-do-list for the day."
"I meditate."
"I exercise."
"I revise my lessons of the previous day."
"I devote my time to the pre-class assignments for the day."

Then came some frank and off the cuff replies.

"I go to washroom."
"I check my mobile for any messages or missed calls."
"I switch on some music."
"I just pick up daily newspaper."
"I pick up the book that was left incomplete the previous night."

Then it was time for some mischievous ones.

"I give a missed call to my best friend."
"I look at the watch and go back to sleep."

And then came the answer that has prompted me to write this blog post.

"I get up and keep sitting for some time without doing anything. I just sit there for half an hour."

This answer in itself was not very shocking but the reaction was. More than half of others began to second this answer and wanted to replace their initial replies with this one. And this prompted me to probe a little further. I asked them to give five minutes and analyse themselves as to how much time of the day they spend doing 'nothing'. Some questions came up for clarification and we set up some ground rules. One rule said that watching a particular programme on TV was NOT doing nothing but sitting there and changing channels purposelessly will be doing nothing. Another said that lying in bed trying to sleep is NOT doing nothing but lying just to kill time will be doing nothing. Some more such rules were laid down to include all the periods of inactivity.

After some time, final answers started coming in. They were in the range of 2 hours to 8 hours. This exercise was certainly going to produce something. The overall average of 21 persons (including myself) came to 4 hours 57 minutes 9 seconds. This much time we tend to spend without doing anything in particular!

A lot of discussion followed. To sum up, we could not reach any conclusion about this time being a waste or not. Some of us present there very strongly believed that this time was important to retain our focus and concentration at other times. And we also found out that there was no proof of any noticeable variation in the general efficiency levels of people belonging to the two extremes (inactive for 2 hours or for 8 hours).

Of course, it is very important to optimise the available resources. The final outcome is always a function of availability of resources and the optimum utilisation thereof. And i remember having read somewhere, 'The best gifts in the world are free!" This might be the reason of a very common observation that natural gifts are mostly subjected to sub-optimal utilisation. Productivity is one such principle that must be applied to every situation we are in. This can very easily be a universal principle to measure efficiency and predict effectiveness!

Coming back to the thought experiment conducted in the class, the sample size was too small to propound any final trend. I request the readers to introspect and provide us their valuable inputs by way of comments. I sincerely hope that we might discover something that might throw some light on this angle of human behaviour!(Notwithstanding the fact that productivity is a guiding principle in all situations)

So, the right question is, Which sweets do you like most?

2010-01-06T13:10:00.003+05:30

Which sweets are the best in the world?

Which is the best book of the world?

* * * * *

Simple to ask questions. For young kids, they may be easy to answer questions as well. But someone told me an observation regarding such questions with which i could not disagree.

And that observation is very simple. Which sweets are the best in the world - is probably an incorrect way of asking. I should rather ask, 'Which sweets do you like most?'. The probability of getting an answer will be many times more. Similarly, if i ask 'which book do you like most?' instead of 'which is the best book of the world?' , i might get an answer in much less a time.

Allow me to delve a little deeper. I can offer you sweets, but how do you find their taste is entirely your personal territory. I can bring the best of dishes for my young ones, but how much they enjoy their taste is up to them only. Some experiences are non-transferable!

I like to meet a particular person very much. A simple chance to get in touch with him is a great opportunity for me. It fills me with great joy. I want my friends to have the same pleasure. But i cannot assure this. The best i can do is to provide them an opportunity to meet the person. How much pleasure (if any) they derive from that meeting is entirely up to them.

Recently i got a chance to read the book "Autobiography of a Yogi". It was a great experience. This book blessed me with some very unique spiritual experiences. I wanted some of my acquaintances to read the book so that i can discuss with them on the subject matter. I gifted the book to some of those people, five of them to be exact, but could not help them go through it. Only one of them, unarguably the busiest of them, did read the book and shared his pleasure with me and the others simply could not start reading the book.

To sum up, equality of wealth is possible. Equal distribution of resources is also possible. But equality of experiences is never possible. One just cannot assure equal distribution of happiness. This is entirely a personal territory.

I am a teacher and a provider of education services as well. What i can assure is merely this - provision of the same course content and similar teachers to all. And the gaining of knowledge, motivation, transformation and spark - this is an individual experience!

Who am I?

2009-12-31T10:49:00.004+05:30

What is individuality?

What is group behaviour?

What is the real personality?

Personality Development is in fashion these days. Every small town is also full of many such institutes that claim to bring a total turn around in the personality of its students. But are they able to define the word personality in a sense acceptable to all? I doubt.

One definition is SWOT. As everybody must have read, this acronym represents strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The first two are individual variables while the other two are environmental variables. Some experts opine that SWOT is the personality while personality development includes the conversion of weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities.

Another definition is Mask Theory. Believers of this camp say that everyone has two personalities - the real one and the explicit one. They also say that no one, absolutely no one in the world today, can afford to be totally transparent. We have some animal instincts which are hidden in the garb of a social smile. Let us have an example. When you are just about to go to bed at the end of a hectic day and some relative or friend turns up, how do you react? The real one would be a frank reminder of the time and the social etiquette of seeking appointment before visiting someone, but in all probability, the explicit one would be to welcome them with a broad smile.

The third definition is based on the reaction to a stimulus. We all react to many things available around us. But this reaction depends on our personality. Same stimulus may evoke different responses from different people. Slapping to a staunch believer of Jesus may result in getting the second cheek offered while the same action may possibly bring a violent reaction from other people.

Which theory appeals to you most? What is the real personality? I am confused. I find some essence and practical wisdom in all of them. While the SWOT theory tells me what to do (convert weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities) while the mask theory tells me how to do the same. And the third theory gives me some tips to judge other people by observing their reactions to different situations.

One thing is very sure. Individuality and group behaviour are very different things. While in a group, one tends to sacrifice his very personal set of beliefs which may not be a very wise thing to do.

I must not allow my individuality to get lost in a crowd, or to use a better word, a mob!

Action and reaction

2009-12-23T12:34:00.004+05:30

'Life is only two percent how it comes to me and ninety eight percent how i react to it.' Many people would accept this in theory. But Karl Marx (1818-1883) was an exception.

This German philosopher started his campaign with the communist manifesto and ended with the call "Workers of the world, unite!" He strongly advocated that everybody should be given equal remuneration for doing whatever they are good at. In his opinion, being a human being entitles one a place in a classless society where everyone deserves equal returns irrespective of their contribution.

His philosophy can be explained in three stages :
1. Thesis : The bourgeoisie have exploited the proletariat for many generations.
2. Antithesis : The workers will overthrow the capitalistic class and set up a dictatorship of their own. In such a way, they will take revenge from the bourgeoisie.
3. Synthesis : In the long run, it will all culminate into a classless society.

Marx strongly believed that managers getting a sum many times more than the working class by way of remuneration is a clear evidence of exploitation. He also propounded that this difference is illogical and against the principles of natural justice.

This morning, i read a story about a king and his prime minister in a Hindu religious book (Shastra) and found it suitable to prove that 'Life is only two percent how it comes to me and ninety eight percent how i react to it'.

In the story, many workers go to the king and complain against the difference in the remuneration structure of the prime minister and the workers. They also said that they worked for the whole day and the prime minister just sat doing nothing. The king called his prime minister in and also sent someone to bring an elephant.When the elephant was brought, the king handed the same over to the workers and asked them to weigh it. All the workers came back after 4-5 hours without success as they had been unable to find a scale large enough to weigh the elephant. Now the same job was assigned to the prime minister. He came back within an hour with the exact weight being 4850 units. When asked, he narrated the entire process. "I went to the river, took the elephant on a boat and noted the watermark. Then the boat was taken in the water again without the elephant. This time i had weights put in the boat until the same watermark was touched." The workers were able to see the sense. They accepted the rationale of the remuneration structure and went back.

What does the story tell us? One always gets paid in the exact ratio of the value he or she adds to the organisation. You need to respond quickly and effectively to the requirements of your employer. And this ability only decides your remuneration.

This ability depends on many factors. The family background, upbringing, schooling, hobbies, environment, value system, spirituality etc. play their respective roles in the same. But the most important factor is - the candidate's burning desire to add some value. The hunger inside becomes passion which gets reflected in the sincerity of efforts. Your Alma mater is just trying to provide you some opportunities to increase the same. How one utilises the same is entirely one's own discretion.

The Economic Times reports that the ratio of highest package offered and the average package in IIMs this year is nearly 14:1. What should be the ratio of the highest to the lowest package? The law of averages gives us the probable answer - 196:1. And all these management graduates were offered similar teachings and facilities!

Yes! I agree.'Life is only two percent how it comes to me and ninety eight percent how i react to it.' Marx is an aberration.

And what i want to achieve is that.......

2009-12-15T19:00:00.005+05:30

"And how do you intend to find a solution to this problem?" Dr APJ Abdul Kalam asks the young boys and girls of India. Everyone in the audience is stunned. They are emotionally charged but unable to provide a befitting reply. And Dr Kalam then shares his vision 2020 with all of them and suddenly everything begins to make sense.

Sounds like a riddle? Yes, it does. Allow me to tell you the context.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam has made a very pertinent observation in his book 'Ignited Minds'. He says that India was under British control for a very long period. And a very big majority had started to accept the situation as a must-be. Then in the year 1857, they first saw the dream of free India. Every Indian started to desire freedom and strive for it. It took a poor and oppressed nation 90 years to achieve that vision. But the bottom line is very clear. If everybody has a common vision, a nation is able to realize it sooner or later.

Dr Kalam then asks, "And what is the vision today? What is it that we are trying to achieve? If freedom from the British inspired every Indian from 1857 onwards, do we have any such burning desire today?" And he goes on to say that absence of any such common cause or vision only is the biggest problem before us. When an entire nation does not know where to go, where would it go? Nowhere is the only possible answer. And this is the pressing problem of today, feels Dr Kalam.

The situation can be compared with many travellers walking here and there with no destination in sight. They walk daily, sometimes they come back, sometimes they take random turns and as a result they never reach anywhere. As a nation, what do we intend to achieve? It's a pity that the vision is not clear.

Many business schools teach Goal Setting to their students. Nearly all the companies begin with a mission statement. What about our national vision?

Dr Kalam has definitely blessed us with a very good vision document by way of his book Vision 2020. A number of people, who went through the visionary exhortation, have appreciated the same. But i do not want to share the gist of the same here. Rather i want to throw this question open here. What should be the driving force for India today? Can you please express yourself in not more than one sentence? I hope this may lead us somewhere.

Let your vision for mother India be visible here, continuously.

Faith vs Responsibility

2009-12-03T13:33:00.001+05:30

Human relations are a very interesting and complex mix. HR has definitely grown to become an independent discipline of its own and is regarded as crucial for any business organisation. Still, it is studied as a part of many other disciplines as well. Sociology, Economics, Psychology etc are not complete without the study of human relations. Even Law as a subject studies and considers HR. For example, Section 15 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 discusses influence as one of factors that may affect the consent of a party regarding a contractual understanding.

But i want to talk about something which is instrumental in one to one relationship. There are many relations where utmost good faith is required. The relationship between, for example, a doctor and his patient, a lawyer and his client, a teacher and his student or parents and their child falls in the same category.

What is the binding force in such relations. I will call it faith and responsibility balance. Patient has faith and doctor has responsibility. Client has faith and lawyer has responsibility.And similarly, student keeps faith and teacher fulfils responsibility.

Now, this balance is very crucial. There can be a financial implication also but that is less important in such relations. It is very easy for a doctor to fulfil his contractual liability by prescribing medication and treatment but responsibility has a bigger spectrum. And the same is true for the other mentioned relationships too.

Now what binds a doctor, a lawyer or a teacher is not merely contract but faith. Money can buy services but not responsibility. It arises out of faith only. And the moment one party loses the faith, the other party is relieved of the responsibility.

Yes! This point is very important in human relations. Have faith! For God's sake, never lose it. The moment we lose faith, we relieve the service provider professional from his responsibility!

A course in Salesmanship!

2009-12-03T12:47:00.006+05:30

What makes us an effective salesperson?

This much-talked-of topic is most misunderstood too. Everybody has an opinion on the same and the variety of available tips seems to qualify for being called noise. Recently i was reading a book 'What they still don't teach at Harvard Business School' and got a very simplified answer to the same. The formula suggested is refreshingly simple and precise.

The book presents four direct priciples to learn to sell effectively:

1. Know the Product

2. Meet a lot of people

3. Ask them to buy

4. Use common sense

That's it.

It made a lot of sense to me. The first point clearly tells every salesperson to be sure of always staying in the know of everything that the prospect may expect from him or her. Knowledge is power and it wins trust. It creates confidence. People always tend to prefer knowledgeable sales persons.

The second point is the most obvious one and the most commonly ignored one too! Meeting new people either by way of cold calling or through some promotional events is very important. Meeting them in normal course of life is even better.

The third point is all about focus. To the first timers it also teaches the importance of being on target - at all times. Some initial hesitation must be overcome if one wants to practise this point of action.

And the last point is the most important one. It's all about common sense but common sense is so uncommon these days! If one ventures to list out the mistakes one has committed in sales meetings a very vast majority of them can be covered under the heading 'lack of common sense'. Possibly a very narrow focus causes many to ignore what is visible to the neutral eye.

Try to apply these priciples in whatever you sell and see the result. And of course, we all know that selling is omnipresent!

Money, Time and Energy

2009-11-25T12:44:00.006+05:30

Mobile has redefined the art of networking. How to make friends and how to keep the relations rejuvenated - has long been a subject matter for active discussion among thinkers and self-styled management gurus. But a small handset has challenged all those time-tested principles and techniques.

And the entire science of making friends and influencing people has come down to just two principles :
How to make friends ? Send them a message every day.
How to maintain relations? Send them a positive good morning message every day.

I do not entirely agree with these two rules. But many of my friends, relatives and students do treat them as gospel truths. And i am the victim. Every morning i receive tens of messages and the fact that you can't delete a message without opening it increases the agony. Of course, these commonplace messages do remind me of the sender but the vibrations sent telepathically from my side are not always positive.

But this morning i got a message which caught my attention and even after deleting it immediately, it refuses to leave me. And the message is :

3 stupid stages of life :
TEEN : You have time and energy but no money
ADULT : You have money and energy but no time
OLD : You have money and time but no energy!
So live every moment fully!!

How can we come out of this rut? If teens spare some time for a part time job and earn their pocket money or if adults tend to become better time managers or if the old ones continue to exercise and remain in shape - one would say. But is it that simple?

About the teen age, I am not very sure. But i can say one thing with reasonable conviction. Managing time for family and physical exercise in the adult age can help a lot. And some benefits will continue to be available in the old age as well. This may well be the most crucial life style challenge before the working population the world over today.

And the most important learning. Cellphones are just a tool. How to use it - is a valuable skill to learn!

Rajesh Khanna and the art of Time Management

2009-11-21T12:56:00.004+05:30

Movies are a very popular source of entertainment. They also provide a very effective direction to society. In India, the young generation has always been crazy for bollywood and its movies. There have been countless actors and actresses, some of them have become stars and a very special few could get the label of superstars. Rajesh Khanna was crowned as the first superstar of Indian cinema. I want to specifically refer to one of his dialogues of one of his movies. The movie was named 'Bavarchi' (The chef). In a particular scene, he says, 'It's very simple to be great. But, it is very difficult to be simple!'

* * * * *

Time management is a very important tool to make optimum use of a person's calibre and efficiency. We are all fully aware of the fact that the almighty gives us a daily pension of 86400 seconds only. And this pension is available to everyone without any discrimination. Nobody will dispute the fact that our future entirely depends on use (or misuse) of this pension. And there are some very simple principles of time management which everyone is aware of. Let us try to enlist the most important of them.

1. Never postpone something for tomorrow that can be done today.
2. Have a time for everything and everything should be done on time.
3. Prioritize.
4. Make a to do list and keep on ticking the activities as you complete them.
5. Develop a full stop culture. Shun the comma habits.
6. Get up early. Start early. Be regular.

These are simple observations. Everyone of us has heard of them so many times. We know that these will help us greatly in our job. And we tend to promise to ourselves that we will follow them in future. And many of us keep on ignoring them in our practice.

It is really simple to be great!
But, it is definitely not easy to be simple!!

* * * * *

And let me tell you one more fact about Rajesh Khanna. He was not very punctual. He was usually very late on his sets. And i remember having read somewhere that many directors preferred Amitabh Bachchan to him primarily because Big B happened to be a much better time manager. More often that not, he was dot on time.

* * * * *
It is really simple to be great!
But, it is definitely not easy to be simple!!
And, today it is very important to follow these simple rules!!!

To get or to give?

2009-11-19T14:12:00.002+05:30

Think big, Aim big, Think like a winner, Badi Soch Ka Bada Jadoo, You can win, You'll see it if you believe it etc. are very common titles or themes of what we get to read now a days. Today's child grows up while planning to start it big. Names like Dhirubhai Ambani, Sunil Bharti Mittal and Gautam Adani seem so close to him. Everybody is taught, encouraged and trained to look at oneself in the mirror and remind one that the future has just one thing in store and that is golden tremendous unending success. Low aim is crime and nobody is a criminal in the coming generation.

All this is fundamentally right. This helps everybody to overcome the mental barriers. The confidence is boosted up to a great extent. And when such a positive optimistic individual goes for any job, he reminds himself to be a die hard optimist. The idea of thinking big enters his soul and every action coming out is anything but realistic. When the interviewer asks him to state his career objective, prompt comes the reply, 'I want to be the CEO of a big multi national corporation'. This is expected to impress the interviewer and to have a big start.

But there seems to be a fundamental disconnect. What about the unglamorous but solid foundation? Nobody plasters or paints the foundation pillars below the ground level. But it is unquestionably the first step of a beautiful building. What should be the foundation of a successful corporate career?

Let me put this in another words. What should be initial focus of a career seeker? What i am going to get from this job or what i am going to contribute to this job. I am sure every experienced person knows that no corporate house would ever allow a performer to leave. To be very frank, performers with proven track record are so less in proportion in the work force today that they are always in demand. Let me give you some examples. Try to find out about the first job and the first assignment of Jamsetji Nusservanji Tata, Dhirubhai Ambani, G D Birla, L N Mittal, N R Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji, Satyen (Sam) Gangaram Pitroda, Verghese Kurien, Subhash Chandra or Cawasji Nanabhoy Davar. All of them are shining examples of one and the only one fundamental principle of making a successful corporate career and that is -

"The more you strive to give, the more you get,
The more you strive to get, the less you get."

"If i always strive to give my best to the company i serve, it will do its best to retain me and to do the best it can do for me. In case it fires me in spite of that, my thanks to the great lord that it saved me from a sinking ship!"

And by the way, one should never reply to the career objective question as in the example above. No interviewer likes to listen to that because in crude street language it would mean, "Main tumhara Boss banana chahta hun." A perfect recipe for failure. Isn't it?

The third side of the coin

2009-11-12T11:28:00.004+05:30

I had my first job offer to work as an assistant accountant with a commercial automobile company. The year was 1988. I was a fresh commerce graduate. And it was perfectly natural for a young graduate to think of creativity and innovation as the only requirements for growth and development. As it happens with every young brain in that age, my mind was also full of new ideas and i used to consider it my primary duty to flood everyone i came across with those ideas.

It was a campus selection. (Yes! Simple B.Com. pass outs were offered jobs through their colleges in those times prior to LPG!) Eight of us were called for on site selection process. Finally three of us could manage to get final job offers. The salary offered was Rs. 1475 per month. Ultimately none of us finally joined but this decision had nothing to do with the compensation figures. In fact, one simple wall plate containing some instructions for the new recruits had played the spoilsport.

And what did that plate read? It just carried four simple instructions:

1. Boss is always right!
2. Shut your mouth and do your duty!
3. Any confusion? Go to number 1 !!
4. Any suggestion? Go to number 2 !!

All of us preferred not to join the place where our creativity and innovation were not welcome.

How do you rate this decision? Twenty one years have passed, and even today i can't decide. I am a teacher and entrepreneur, Krishnakant an advocate and Rajesh a school teacher. And the company? It has also grown to become indisputable market leader in its own category.

We can never have water tight compartments in life. Everything is relative. Isn't it?

These days will never come back!

2009-11-10T07:40:00.007+05:30

What is it that a modern student covets most?

One view : He wants to enjoy every moment of his student life. He knows that these days will never come back and so he must make maximum out of every second available.

Second view : He wants to learn maximum and enrich his knowledge bank as much as possible. He knows that these days will never come back and so he must make maximum out of every second available.

Third view : He loves his friends and cherishes their company! He wants to enjoy every second of accompanying his friends and is always ready to sacrifice his own individual needs for the same. He knows that these days will never come back and so he must make maximum out of every second available.

Fourth view : He is confused. He knows that these days will never come back and so he must make maximum out of every second available. And so, he is even more confused. He is afraid of making any wrong choice. Hence, every day begins with a dilemma and ends in the same. When he enjoys himself or with his friends, a feeling of guilt grips him. Am i using my time to the fullest? Is this what my parents expect of me? And when, he dedicates his time to learning and personality enrichment, he also feels that he is missing something. Oh! But for the adventures of youth! The sheer pleasure of being in the right company at the right age!!

I can't offer any solutions. This post is not written to give any advice or something like that. The only purpose of this post is to throw this question open to you all, smart young readers. What do you think about this confusion? Don't you think that we need some more frank honest expressions, particularly from the young generation, on this perennial quandary?

Power Shift - what next?

2009-11-04T12:08:00.004+05:30

"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested" said sir Francis Bacon. A great thought but only from the readers' perspective. What about the authors? Do they also write books with a particular objective in mind?

Let us take the case of some world famous books and their authors. What was the purpose of Alvin Toffler when he wrote Power Shift? Was it a systematic enquiry of the historical power shifts or merely a recording of History? Did the master want to record the past events or find an undercurrent that can be extrapolated to predict future? Was it an expression of musings or an attempt to institutionalise a new medium of scientific enquiry with social trends as the raw material?

Take the case of "Discovery of India" by Jawaharlal Nehru. I am sure all the readers of this book have their opinions on the utility and character of the book. But let us try to scan the purpose of the genius brain behind writing the book. Was it intended to be a History text book? Or did he attempt to present the real India, unknown to the world prior to that? Or was it an intellectual experiment conducted by the author to enable him to read a lot and present the reflections thereon to the western world?

OK. Let's move to the book 'Mere Sapno ka Bharat' by Mahatma Gandhi. Did he aspire to give a direction to the freedom struggle or provide a vision to the leaders then? Was it an attempt to legitimise the demand for freedom or to provide a road map for the post independence era?

The process of this enquiry is of course interesting but without any trustworthy conclusions.

Let me suggest an approach for the young leaders. Before reading a book, just scan through the introductory part. Then contemplate on the theme. Write down your thoughts in a notebook. Also write down the expectations from the book. Now is the time to go through the book at length. After completing the same, try to write the message of the book. Now we can compare our own prior writings with this newly acquired wisdom. The delta is the contribution of the book to the mind. This is what the writer has been able to achieve.

Impact of some books can also be judged by extrapolating the subject. For example, Power Shift tells us about the changing currency of power. In the beginning, it was muscle power only. Power flew from the barrel of a gun at that time. Jiski Lathi uski Bhains! (The buffalo belongs to the one with the weapon!) But soon it changed. And came the advent of money. Money became the next currency of power. Moneyed ones were able to hire musclemen and get things done. And then came the latest shift. Knowledge has become the most significant currency of power. We are of course living in a knowledge economy today. Knowledge is power.

In my humble opinion, conveying this should not be the sole purpose of this great intellectual experiment. The reader must be able to apply this knowledge and understanding. Can we predict the future? What will dethrone knowledge from its present seat of power? I want to end this post with this open ended question.

I will summarize it in these many words. Muscle power gave way to money power and that was the first power shift. Money power is giving way to the knowledge power and this has been the second and the latest power shift. What will be the next?