Simple things.. Are they Really Simple ?

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Chillness - A Feel Good Factor

India has three seasons and they are hot, hotter and hottest. This is how people use to talk proudly about our country which is by and large true . But I would say in the 12 months , Oct to Jan will be pretty much cool. Even though cannot be compared with that of western countries, the kind of hotness one feel in the other months will make him enjoy this period a lot. The other months which starts from Feb to Sep is no doubt - VERY HOT.

I really enjoy these months and also would look forward each year. These are the months filled with all the important festivals and event(s) .

Some tips in my experience to explore this time period -

1: Morning take bath in cold water zzzzzzzz........it shivers.
2: Try dry your hair standing below the fan which running to its full speed.
3: Drink cold water.... wow.
4: Riding bike in the early morning... pollution less...coolness filled air just goes into you....it is pleasure to go by tearing the wind.
5:Listen to your favourites - Ilayaraja's in particular.
6: Go around the city - yes, city looks beautiful ...the reason being, you are in a comfortable weather condition..once you are comfortable... the world will obviously look great.
7: Just dream - dream about ur career, personal life etc etc... dream just comes effrotlessly.
8: Romancing - a sweet feeling you would get with honey coat.Just initiate.. you will get loads.
9: If you happen to visit a hill station - just make an attempt to stand outside in the night, removing ur shirt.... just resist for 2 mins.... amazing experience is guaranteed.Take a deep breath of cool air. I did with my friends in Kodai.
10: Go somewhere... to some scenic location or a peaceful country side...just be there...enjoy the silence.

Just do the above mentioned things and let me know your experience through your comments.

To make the above mentioned things possible you just need a proper mindset to look into things.

During 2003 Newyear, In 'Business Today' anniversary issue, Mr. Narayana Murthy came out with an article titled 'Its in the mind stupid'. He argues that its our mind which can make things different.

Its pretty much odd to bring Mr. Narayana Murthy here to this context..... reason being, who cares if Krishna says ;).

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Lets Also Look Down !

Its quite some time I made a post here. It is mainly due to some other preoccupation and other priorities. But then a usual enlightment striked and I wish to keep this active.

"In what am I contributing to bring new effecient people to light ?"

This particular question is ringing around me for the past few days. whenever and whereever we discuss with our friends, relatives, strangers, we mostly talk about very known and familiar people. Take politics - we talk about the Dr. Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, Laloo Prasad Yadav and so. The same in the case of movies, sports, business, b-schools, cities etc. We talk mostly about the top segment.I fear that on the way we might miss people who deserve the public awareness to grow. Also we dont take much efforts to know about the segment which needs attention.

Take for example Hockey- as a sport it not attracting much attention like Cricket. We all know about this and what step are we taking to do something for this 'child of lesser god'. Recently been to my friend's(groom) wedding. His father-in-law was holding a director postion in a olmpic committee. During the reception I could see a big crowd and was able to see some 'Singhs'. Only after getting the announcement we came to know that they are the INDIAN HOCKEY TEAM.

I was embarassed. It was a big shame on me

Recently I read about 'Vikram Pillai' an Indian Hockey Player in a local magazine. He was there at Chennai for some training and was staying in a lodge for a daily rent of Rs.200. Just think of a cricket player who comes for a training camp and see how much media attention he gets and look at the place he stays.

When I was discussing this with my friend, he was telling me that Govenment should interfere and offer some exemption for the companies who sponsors for these games. Yes, it is a good idea.

My little feeling of 'Embarassment' and 'Shame' is not going to help anybody productively. So what to do from an individual's end to make a difference.

First let us believe strongly that we can make difference. I am not coming to say that we alone can make it, but we can be a part of making a winning proposition.

So lets think what you and I can do on this. Unlike some ten years ago we have now a better visibility.I now making this particular thought of me available to a bunch of readers. This is what I call as Visibility.This is just a micro level.

Recently in a local magazine brought into light a bunch guys who are very good in football. But they lack sponsorships. Leave alone sports,there are umpteen number of stories lying here and there in all walks of life. Not everybody can be helped. I am much interested in igniting this thought. Due course of time we will strike upon better ideas to get implement certain ideas.

What do feel about this...how can we make it???

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Brain Bank

Recently been to my home for my deepavali holidays. There I happen to watch some movies which I missed earlier. One movie which I am going to take for this post is 'Anbe Aaruyire'(A..Aah), directed by SJ Suriya. This guy has his own style of making movies. He started as a director and now doing both action and direction together. His first two directional venture was a great success, infact the movies was good.
Ths story of this movie A..Aah is so very simple. There live a couple and husband finds very less time to be with his wife. There starts problem and at one situation they both get parted. Here the Director brings the good memories/thoughts of both in the form of the their own.Those memories brings back the couple together again. Then at the end it is -SUBAM.
I am able appreciate the director for thinking in this line. For the first time to my knowledge the pleasant memories/positive thoughts has become a part of the cast.Now-a-days I could get this kind of advices in the books, TV programmes that one should have positive thoughts always.
Recently I read a book called 'Magic of Thinking Big" by David Schwartz. He argues that brain is like a bank, you get what you put.
The logic : When you think postively and try to put all good things in your brain, during the time of crisis the brain will automatically retrieve you those good things which supports you. For example : when you are allotted a tough project and when you feel quite scared, the brain will support you with all good things that happened to you earlier. Sometime back your would have completed a tough thing succesfully. So, that memory will come to rescue during the needy hours.
I really wonder how this guy got impressed with this idea and gave form on the screen. I would say it is quite innovative thinking and he must be bold enough to experiment this kind of stuff.
But the director could have made the movie more 'U'niversal. As it revolves around a couple, he has added more SPICE to the scenes both visually and verbally.
This kind of thought should reach all age groups, particularly childrens. But this guy has the track record of incorporating the 'SEX' component in all his movies.
My feeling is- good messages should not get over shadowed by cheap stuff. Atleast hereafter the movie makers should not mix both.

Saturday, November 05, 2005

My SUB-WAY Thought

In our company we have a practice for going on a team lunch once in a term. So recently we been to 'SUB WAY' an outlet with all american stuff. We enjoyed tasting new food items. The system there was, after deciding on the food items we need to pay the money and collect the food items which are served on a tray.

Once we were over with the food we areasked to drop the food foils in the bin the corner and keep the tray near by. We all did the same with absolutely no hitch or block or hesitation. When we came out it started pinching me. The reason being how would I have felt if I were asked to put the banana leaf in our hotels once we finish taking the food. I would be doing the same as per the instruction, but would I be with the same 'Hesitation Free' mindset. No, I would hesistate. Why so? are we too comfortable with western way of doing things. If so, why do we hesitate when we do the same thing here.

When I gave a thought on this, I got two reasons.

1. In western coutries, they dont enjoy the luxury of labour. It is quite expensive for them to employ people to do the suupport activities. So they have the system that is 'Self Help'. So they implemented such practice in the respective places and people also feel comfortable with that. But our country's advantage as of now globally is man power, that too cheap man power. It is the sense of luxury we are used to both in our home and placed outside home.

2. The state of food plays a role here. Western food are more solid in nature. So even after consuming the food we will not feel uncomfortable handling the left outs. But our type of food are more of semi solid and liquid foods. So it is quite natural that anybody will fell uncomfortble handling things so easily. I am not saying difficult, but quite uneasy. For example when we are asked to remove the banana leaf after the lunch, we may split the remainings on the floor on the way to the basket. To avoid this hotel people keep people exclusively to do this job.

The social set up under goes a major change now-a days and now it is better be on our own. The best place to start is from our 'HOME'. The 'HOME' is where the real change should start and subsequently would affect the 'COUNTRY' in the long run.

So certain things cant be looked blankly without considering the social and cultural factors.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Entreprenuership - The Road Less Travelled

'Entrepreneurship' - a word to watch in recent times. It is good that people started talking about Entrepreneurship in all forums. Even though it is a 'All-Time' relevant topic in country like India, In today's context it has become a need that is urgent.

People are now so very skeptical about doing something on their own. The main reason for this kind of attitude is, people hesitate to take Risk. Without risk there is no Entrepreneurship. Earlier there is no way to subsidise risk, but now we have ways.

Venture Capitalists(VCs) are now actively looking for a good business idea/model and if you have one, your business is funded. So problem is not in rasing capital, but in the IDEA. Everyone have idea and how many ideas are worthy enough to pursue.


“The idea is like an Elbow, everybody having it” - Prof. Bala Balachandran

Opening a 5th grocery shop in an area is not at all an IDEA. IDEA should be innovative so the business model. Business model is something like how are you going to offer the product. For example how are you going to reach your customer differently from your competitors through a grocery store. Here is where the challenge is.

“There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an IDEA whose time has come” - Victor Hugo’s adage

But nothing is impossible. Things are there at our disposal. I am currently reading a book called 'Leading the Revolution' - by Gary Hamel - a Strategy and Management Guru. The book is a must in every one's library who are in business or people love to read on innovation. He has come out with a framework on how to develop a business concept. So ,one has to acquire knowledge on regular basis in fast changing business environment.

The new age companies keep the employees happy by offering a huge salary and other benefits not only to retain them but also to get away the idea of entrepreneurship from them. But this things has to change. Imagine a person who works for a big company and when he comes out to start something on his own, he can built very well on the knowledge he gained from the company.

In the lighter side, I am very muich attracted towards Entrepreneurship for one reason that is 'FREEDOM'. One would slog all 24 hrs for 7 days a week, but if we want to take a break, he can, unlike checking the number of days leave he has to his credit.

Yes, entrepreneurs have to think day and night about their business with all stress, tension etc., but once crossed the crucial initial stage, he would reap the benefit. There happens value and wealth creation.

Also the attitude, attitude of the parents, students and the society. How many of our parents told us during our student age to start a business after the college education. Everyone wants us to settle in a good company. Students should come out of this mental block and parent should help them. Society should respond postively on a failed venture. New enterprise selection must happen in the college level. Things are also changing now - IIM B has incubators.

It is very promising that some of the B-school graduates shown their back to the placements and now on the efforts to start a venture.

I was told that during the British period when the education system was crafted, the instruction from the english people to the scholars who designed the system was to see that the students get clerical attitude.

One prediction says that in coming years, big companies will start employ only very few people. So the people come out the company would be forced to do something on their own. In this information age each and every one has ideas and all the ideas cant be implemented in the company they work, so at one stage the 'Entrepreneurship' thinking do comes there.

So in coming years it could become order of the day. So people just start thinking on this line. Even entrepreneurship spirit helps in innovation and risk taking in your present job.

Become an ENTREPRENEUR - Create Value , Create Wealth.

One Year Happy 'Frosting'

I work for a global consuting company and have completed one year period this October 11, 2005. This one year is pretty much useful in knowing various things in a global context .

This is the first multinational company I am working for in my 6 years of professional life. The difference beween a MNC and a NON-MNC is huge. The first thing that comes to my mind is, they give an impression to each and evey employee that they are so very important for the organisation, irrespective of what kind of work they do.

Likewise Process, each and every activity of the organisation are under one or other Process. Nothing is isolated and all are grouped under different heads clearly. It gave me exposure on how to set or how effectively an activity work when it is been put in a process.

Our company has a certification exam and it has to be taken by all employees in all the locations.
This certification is all about the company and how it has been organised in terms of activities. It also covers the vision, goals, USP, corporate values etc. So at the end of the day each and every employee is aware of the company, its vision, its positioning, future plans, strategies etc. I am able appreciate this idea and it puts every one to look towards one direction. People with even little knowledge or interest in the management and business would give them a broad idea of how things are done practically. They can correlate with the theory they learnt in MBA or business courses.

The structure of the company is very flat. Even 'Director' of the company has been alloted a cabin and not a room. I wonder this because in my earlier company our Director claims respect and distance in as many ways as he can. I admire these kind of set-up.

There are also some strange things happens in my company. We have dress code and it applies only to guys and not for girls. Guys are expected to come in full formals with tie. In the week ends , ie., last working day of the week casuals are allowed. But surprisingly NO JEANS, NO ROUND NECK T-SHIRTS and NO SPORTS SHOES. But these hard and fast rules apply only to guys and not girls. Girls enjoy all the freedom in wearing any type of dresses. When I first realised this, I was bothered a little, but as the days pass on and looking at girls wearing modern costumes, it made sense to me . What difference a guy is going to make by wearing a jeans and a t-shirt instead of regular pant shirts. But they can make the difference ;)).

I have acquired some new skills which would allow me differentiate myself. This one year has given me a lot to take with me in both professional and fun parts.