In Tamil Nadu, from where my forefathers migrated to Kerala, elderly people bless the newly wed 'Pathinarum Petru Peru Vazhvu Vazhga' (Live a long life acquiring 16 boons). The 16 boons are,
"thudhi vaani veeram visayam sandhaanam thunivu dhanam
madhi dhaaniyam saubaaggiyam bogam - arivu azhagu
pudhidhaam perumai aram kulam novagal pun vayadhu"
thudhi = fame
vaani = education
veeram = courage
visayam = success
sandhaanam = progeny
thunivu = daring
dhanam = finance
madhidhaaniyam = valued grain(abundance of food)
saubaaggiyam = well-being
bogam = enjoyment of pleasures
arivu = wisdom
azhagu = beauty
pudhidhaam perumai = unending honours
aram = philanthropy
kulam = birth (lineage)
novagal pun vayadhu = healthy long life
What else can I wish for you at the dawn of the New Year?
May you all 'Pathinarum Petru Peru Vazhvu Vazhga'
Sunday 30 December 2007
Leave behind those baggages
A poignant story from the Zen tradition.
"There was an old monk in China who practiced very hard meditation for many years. He had a good mind, became very quiet, had good meditation, but yet never came to touch in himself that end of "us," or "I" and "others." He never came to that source of complete stillness or peace out of which genuine change in the world can come. So he went to the Zen master and said, "May I please have permission to go off and practice in the mountains? I've worked for years as a monk and there's nothing else I want but to understand this: the true nature of myself, of this world."
The master, knowing that he was ripe, gave him permission to leave.
The monk left the monastery and took his bowl and his few possessions and walked through the various towns to the mountains. He left the last village behind and was going up a little trail into the mountains.
Coming down the trail, an old man appeared before him, carrying a great big bundle on his back. This old man was actually the Bodhisattva Manjusri, who is said to appear to people at the moment they are ripe for awakening and is depicted carrying the sword of discriminating wisdom that cuts through all attachment, all illusion and separateness.
The monk looked at the old man, and the old man said, "Say friend, young monk, where are you going?"
The monk told his story. "I've practiced for all these years and all I want now is to touch the center point, to know that which is true."
The old man looked at him and his look was kind and wise. So the monk said, "Tell me, old man, do you know anything of this enlightenment?" At which point the old man simply let go of the bundle; it dropped to the ground and the monk was enlightened.
That's all. Just put it down. Drop everything: I, my, what I want to be, what I'm going to get, what will happen. Just be here.
The enlightened monk looked at the old man again, and said, "So now what?"
The old man reached down and picked up the bundle again and walked off to town.
Here's the complete teaching in this story. It's to put everything down - all I, all me, all "us." To put it down means also to acknowledge it from where it starts: to see sorrow, suffering, pain, to see that we're all in it together, to see birth and death. If you're afraid of death and suffering and you don't want to look, then you can't put it down. You will push it away here and you will grab it there. See the world directly - use any way that you want to do it, but do it. Then you can put it down.
Once you put it down, then with understanding and compassion you can pick it up again."
As the year draws to a close, put everything down, leave behind all baggage and pick up the pieces afresh.
May you all see the light of wisdom
"There was an old monk in China who practiced very hard meditation for many years. He had a good mind, became very quiet, had good meditation, but yet never came to touch in himself that end of "us," or "I" and "others." He never came to that source of complete stillness or peace out of which genuine change in the world can come. So he went to the Zen master and said, "May I please have permission to go off and practice in the mountains? I've worked for years as a monk and there's nothing else I want but to understand this: the true nature of myself, of this world."
The master, knowing that he was ripe, gave him permission to leave.
The monk left the monastery and took his bowl and his few possessions and walked through the various towns to the mountains. He left the last village behind and was going up a little trail into the mountains.
Coming down the trail, an old man appeared before him, carrying a great big bundle on his back. This old man was actually the Bodhisattva Manjusri, who is said to appear to people at the moment they are ripe for awakening and is depicted carrying the sword of discriminating wisdom that cuts through all attachment, all illusion and separateness.
The monk looked at the old man, and the old man said, "Say friend, young monk, where are you going?"
The monk told his story. "I've practiced for all these years and all I want now is to touch the center point, to know that which is true."
The old man looked at him and his look was kind and wise. So the monk said, "Tell me, old man, do you know anything of this enlightenment?" At which point the old man simply let go of the bundle; it dropped to the ground and the monk was enlightened.
That's all. Just put it down. Drop everything: I, my, what I want to be, what I'm going to get, what will happen. Just be here.
The enlightened monk looked at the old man again, and said, "So now what?"
The old man reached down and picked up the bundle again and walked off to town.
Here's the complete teaching in this story. It's to put everything down - all I, all me, all "us." To put it down means also to acknowledge it from where it starts: to see sorrow, suffering, pain, to see that we're all in it together, to see birth and death. If you're afraid of death and suffering and you don't want to look, then you can't put it down. You will push it away here and you will grab it there. See the world directly - use any way that you want to do it, but do it. Then you can put it down.
Once you put it down, then with understanding and compassion you can pick it up again."
As the year draws to a close, put everything down, leave behind all baggage and pick up the pieces afresh.
May you all see the light of wisdom
Friday 28 December 2007
Ko ruk?
Once, long ago, a leading Ayurvedic Practitioner, Alathur Nambi, in Kerala was returning after offering his prayers at a nearby temple. From the neem tree nearby, two birds, sounded in unison
"Ko ruk?, Ko ruk?"
He ignored it as bird chatter and walked on. This was repeated every day for the next one week.
One day, he stopped, looked at the tree where the birds were sitting and said,
"Kaale hithamiha bhoji, Kritha chamkrmana: kramena vamasaya:
Avidhrutha moothra pureesha: sthreeshu yathathmaa cha yo nara: soruk"
The birds flew away and never were seen again.
Legend has it the birds were in fact, the Aswini Deva twins (known better as the Doctors of the Gods), who had come down to earth to test the famous Ayurvedic Practitioner.
'Ko ruk?' means 'Who is disease free?'
Alathur Nambi's reply was " Whoever eats in limited quantity the food of his liking, walks a bit after eating, sleeps on the left side, does not control his urine and stool, and does not show an excess inclination toward the opposite sex, will be disease-free"
The answer was spot on.
Here is wishing you health.
"Ko ruk?, Ko ruk?"
He ignored it as bird chatter and walked on. This was repeated every day for the next one week.
One day, he stopped, looked at the tree where the birds were sitting and said,
"Kaale hithamiha bhoji, Kritha chamkrmana: kramena vamasaya:
Avidhrutha moothra pureesha: sthreeshu yathathmaa cha yo nara: soruk"
The birds flew away and never were seen again.
Legend has it the birds were in fact, the Aswini Deva twins (known better as the Doctors of the Gods), who had come down to earth to test the famous Ayurvedic Practitioner.
'Ko ruk?' means 'Who is disease free?'
Alathur Nambi's reply was " Whoever eats in limited quantity the food of his liking, walks a bit after eating, sleeps on the left side, does not control his urine and stool, and does not show an excess inclination toward the opposite sex, will be disease-free"
The answer was spot on.
Here is wishing you health.
Thursday 27 December 2007
Madam President! With due respect, We don't deserve You.
President Pratibha Patil’s scheduled visit to Andaman and Nicobar has cost the ecologically sensitive islands a few hundreds of trees. They have been chopped down to ensure a “clear and safe” stay for the President. It is said that some of them blocked view of beach in Andamans from where she is supposed to stay. More than 400 trees have been chopped down, among other things to create a ‘funnel area’ for the presidential chopper to land and take off, in Port Blair, Havelock Island and Vandur. Trees as old as 100 years were cut down. At least 60 trees between the airport and Raj Nivas were cut down. There is nobody to question and nobody to answer. Madam President's and her families junket has also ensured that the holiday season is hit for a six. All the bookings in the Government run holiday resorts have been cancelled inconveniencing hundreds of holiday makers.
This is what happens when we elect a spineless, characterless, corrupt, limpet with no morals or scruples to the highest post of this country.
Compare this with what her predecessor did on a similar situation.
"President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's office on Thursday directed the Ernakulam District Collector to plant 10 times the number of trees, that were badly trimmed at Marine Drive in the name of providing security to the President on his arrival here on December 19, 2006
P.M. Nair, Press Secretary to the President, called up the District Collector and conveyed the directive that the saplings should be planted before the arrival of the President in Kochi. Following the intervention of the President's office, the district administration issued orders for planting 30 saplings in place of the Gulmohar trees that were trimmed.
The President's office has also asked the District Collector to report back on the planting of the saplings"
'Madam President! With due respect, We, the people of India, don't deserve you'
This is what happens when we elect a spineless, characterless, corrupt, limpet with no morals or scruples to the highest post of this country.
Compare this with what her predecessor did on a similar situation.
"President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's office on Thursday directed the Ernakulam District Collector to plant 10 times the number of trees, that were badly trimmed at Marine Drive in the name of providing security to the President on his arrival here on December 19, 2006
P.M. Nair, Press Secretary to the President, called up the District Collector and conveyed the directive that the saplings should be planted before the arrival of the President in Kochi. Following the intervention of the President's office, the district administration issued orders for planting 30 saplings in place of the Gulmohar trees that were trimmed.
The President's office has also asked the District Collector to report back on the planting of the saplings"
'Madam President! With due respect, We, the people of India, don't deserve you'
Monday 24 December 2007
Kalidasan, Bhavabhoothi and Self Confidence
The legendary king Bhojaraja was known for his patronage of art, literature, music and dance. His Court was blessed with many eminent poets, the leading being Kalidasan and Bhavabhoothi. (there is a bit of controversy here as Kalidasan is associated with Vikramaditya era also. it could be that there were two different persons by the same name. anyway that is not germane to this story)
One day Goddess Parvathi accused her consort Lord Siva of being partial to Kalidasan though Bhavabhoothi was equal to Kalidasan in all aspects. Lord Siva told her that there is a fundamental difference between Kalidasan and Bhavabhoothi and it has nothing to do with their technical skills as Poets. To prove his point, he asked Parvathi to go to the outer door of Bhojaraja court in the guise of a poor woman taking her son Subramanyan with her, with the son taking the role of an apparently dead infant. And he told her what to do.
Next day, just before the Court convened, Parvathi was there as directed with her apparently dead infant, and started crying. When people came to ask her why she was crying and why she has not buried her son, she replied that 'her son has died because of a curse and if someone were to fill the samasya
'Puro Nissarane Rana:'
appropriately, then her son would live. (those who don't know what samasya is: the last line is given, and the samasya pooranam requires that the first 2 or 3 lines are filled by a third person. the best composition gets the prize)
Most of the Poets in the Court tried their hand, but to no avail. The child didn't open its eyes. When Parvathi wailed that her son did not come alive yet, each one of them went away apologizing that it is the best they could do and ask someone else.
Then Bhavabhoothi came. He was told about the curse. He stood, closed his eyes and with reverence said,
'Yamithi Priyaprishtaya:
Priyaya: Kandasakthayo:
Asrujeevithayoraseeth
Puro Nissarane Rana:'
It was wonderful, almost divine but alas the child was still dead. When Parvathi pointed this out to Bhavabhoothi, he shrugged and said,
"I cannot do better than this. Ask the guy who is coming. He is Kalidasan and he might give a better samasya pooranam."
Kalidasan was late to the court. He was in a tearing hurry. He did not even notice the lady and the dead child. But Parvathi accosted him and asked his help. Without breaking his step, he gave the pooranam (Kalidasan was a 'Kshipra Kavi' meaning 'Instant Poet').
The pooranam was exactly identical to that given by Bhavabhoothi. When Parvathi complained that the child was still not alive, Kalidasan, looking over his shoulder, told her bluntly,
"Then your son wont live or he is not dead. How can he come alive if he is not dead?. I am telling this because, no one can give a better pooranam to this samasya than what I have given"
So saying, he walked rapidly in to the court.
It was a wiser Parvathy who went back to Lord Siva. Lord Siva told her that the difference between Kalidasan and Bhavabhoothi is one of self confidence. Kalidasan had immense faith in his abilities and he was sure that no one can write a poem better than him. Also, though poetically equal in all aspects, where Kalidasan scored over Bhavabhoothi was that Kalidasan was absolutely sure as to what is to be done exactly when and how.
There is a lesson in this for all of us. Have immense faith in your core competencies.
One day Goddess Parvathi accused her consort Lord Siva of being partial to Kalidasan though Bhavabhoothi was equal to Kalidasan in all aspects. Lord Siva told her that there is a fundamental difference between Kalidasan and Bhavabhoothi and it has nothing to do with their technical skills as Poets. To prove his point, he asked Parvathi to go to the outer door of Bhojaraja court in the guise of a poor woman taking her son Subramanyan with her, with the son taking the role of an apparently dead infant. And he told her what to do.
Next day, just before the Court convened, Parvathi was there as directed with her apparently dead infant, and started crying. When people came to ask her why she was crying and why she has not buried her son, she replied that 'her son has died because of a curse and if someone were to fill the samasya
'Puro Nissarane Rana:'
appropriately, then her son would live. (those who don't know what samasya is: the last line is given, and the samasya pooranam requires that the first 2 or 3 lines are filled by a third person. the best composition gets the prize)
Most of the Poets in the Court tried their hand, but to no avail. The child didn't open its eyes. When Parvathi wailed that her son did not come alive yet, each one of them went away apologizing that it is the best they could do and ask someone else.
Then Bhavabhoothi came. He was told about the curse. He stood, closed his eyes and with reverence said,
'Yamithi Priyaprishtaya:
Priyaya: Kandasakthayo:
Asrujeevithayoraseeth
Puro Nissarane Rana:'
It was wonderful, almost divine but alas the child was still dead. When Parvathi pointed this out to Bhavabhoothi, he shrugged and said,
"I cannot do better than this. Ask the guy who is coming. He is Kalidasan and he might give a better samasya pooranam."
Kalidasan was late to the court. He was in a tearing hurry. He did not even notice the lady and the dead child. But Parvathi accosted him and asked his help. Without breaking his step, he gave the pooranam (Kalidasan was a 'Kshipra Kavi' meaning 'Instant Poet').
The pooranam was exactly identical to that given by Bhavabhoothi. When Parvathi complained that the child was still not alive, Kalidasan, looking over his shoulder, told her bluntly,
"Then your son wont live or he is not dead. How can he come alive if he is not dead?. I am telling this because, no one can give a better pooranam to this samasya than what I have given"
So saying, he walked rapidly in to the court.
It was a wiser Parvathy who went back to Lord Siva. Lord Siva told her that the difference between Kalidasan and Bhavabhoothi is one of self confidence. Kalidasan had immense faith in his abilities and he was sure that no one can write a poem better than him. Also, though poetically equal in all aspects, where Kalidasan scored over Bhavabhoothi was that Kalidasan was absolutely sure as to what is to be done exactly when and how.
There is a lesson in this for all of us. Have immense faith in your core competencies.
Mom! You were wrong
I am a rebel at heart and questions everything under the sun. One of my grouses against people is that they accept anything dished out to them without batting an eyelid. An inquisitive mind is absolutely essential.
Though my late father empathised with me, my late mother used to be aghast whenever I questioned what she called 'Conventional Wisdom'. It was always 'do this', 'do that'. Why? 'Because it is good for you'. Not wanting to offend mother, as I will never hear the last of it, I used to take the path of least resistance and obey her. So I drank 8 glasses of water per day (one of the reasons I became pot bellied), used to switch on all the bloody lights in the room as reading in soft light was bad for the eyes, never started anything new on 'Ashtami and Navami' ( you ask her why, and she will bring the roof down.....anyway that is for another post), Horlicks will make me healthy ( I hated that drink.......still do), never drive a 2 wheeler as I will meet with an accident ( there I used to put my foot down and get my way with the silent backing of the ever suffering father who taught me driving at tender age of 14) and so it went.........
How I wish she were alive today. A recent study conducted by two U.S. researchers took certain common beliefs or myths and searched the archives for evidence to support them.The results are published in the British Medical Journal this week and in American Journal of Psychology
Myth #1: You need to drink 8 glasses of water every day
Despite frequent mentions in the popular press of the need to drink eight glasses of water, the researchers found no scientific basis for the claim. There is a complete lack of evidence. ( If I had known this before, it would have saved numerous trips to the loo)
Myth #2: Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight
The majority of eye experts believe it is unlikely to do any permanent damage, but it may make you squint, blink more and have trouble focusing, the researchers said (could have saved my father some electric bills)
Myth #3: Shaving makes hair grow back faster or coarser
It has no effect on the thickness or rate of hair regrowth, studies say. But stubble lacks the finer taper of unshaven hair, giving the impression of coarseness (we could have put Gillete out of business)
Myth #4: We use only 10 percent of our brains
This myth arose as early as 1907 but imaging shows no area of the brain is silent or completely inactive (this is assuming I have one)
Myth #5: Mobile phones are dangerous in hospitals
Despite widespread concerns, studies have found minimal interference with medical equipment (it doesn't talk about the nuisance value a mobile has to the patient)
Now I am waiting for more such myths to be busted. Makes life much easier
Though my late father empathised with me, my late mother used to be aghast whenever I questioned what she called 'Conventional Wisdom'. It was always 'do this', 'do that'. Why? 'Because it is good for you'. Not wanting to offend mother, as I will never hear the last of it, I used to take the path of least resistance and obey her. So I drank 8 glasses of water per day (one of the reasons I became pot bellied), used to switch on all the bloody lights in the room as reading in soft light was bad for the eyes, never started anything new on 'Ashtami and Navami' ( you ask her why, and she will bring the roof down.....anyway that is for another post), Horlicks will make me healthy ( I hated that drink.......still do), never drive a 2 wheeler as I will meet with an accident ( there I used to put my foot down and get my way with the silent backing of the ever suffering father who taught me driving at tender age of 14) and so it went.........
How I wish she were alive today. A recent study conducted by two U.S. researchers took certain common beliefs or myths and searched the archives for evidence to support them.The results are published in the British Medical Journal this week and in American Journal of Psychology
Myth #1: You need to drink 8 glasses of water every day
Despite frequent mentions in the popular press of the need to drink eight glasses of water, the researchers found no scientific basis for the claim. There is a complete lack of evidence. ( If I had known this before, it would have saved numerous trips to the loo)
Myth #2: Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight
The majority of eye experts believe it is unlikely to do any permanent damage, but it may make you squint, blink more and have trouble focusing, the researchers said (could have saved my father some electric bills)
Myth #3: Shaving makes hair grow back faster or coarser
It has no effect on the thickness or rate of hair regrowth, studies say. But stubble lacks the finer taper of unshaven hair, giving the impression of coarseness (we could have put Gillete out of business)
Myth #4: We use only 10 percent of our brains
This myth arose as early as 1907 but imaging shows no area of the brain is silent or completely inactive (this is assuming I have one)
Myth #5: Mobile phones are dangerous in hospitals
Despite widespread concerns, studies have found minimal interference with medical equipment (it doesn't talk about the nuisance value a mobile has to the patient)
Now I am waiting for more such myths to be busted. Makes life much easier
Sunday 23 December 2007
Developmental Agenda Pays at last
I have refrained from posting anything on politics. It is not that I am apolitical. In fact I am politically very conscious though not too opinionated. My political leanings have swung from one end of the spectrum to the other end over the years.
Today's election victory by BJP and Narendra Modi in Gujarat elections gives me some satisfaction. I am not a BJP supporter nor am I a party sympathizer. The satisfaction is because the voters have finally put the developmental agenda on the forefront and have returned a Chief Minister with a resounding margin. I hold no brief for Modi and what happened in 2002. But I have always held the view that what has happened in 2002 is to be treated as a crime and has to be tackled as such. Whoever was behind Godhra and the subsequent riots have to be brought to justice. But unfortunately our snail paced judicial system will ensure that people go scotfree (the Supreme Court has again ordered a CBI enquiry into Jagdish Tytlers role 23 years after the 1984 Sikh carnage in Delhi). No country can hope to raise to high levels if it compromises on law and order.
Coming back to the issue on hand why I am pleased with the election verdict is that there has been a perception that any Government that spends money on development work cannot expect to win and that only populism brings votes. Pundits pointed out to the examples of Chandrababu Naidu in AP, BJP in the Centre in 2004 and even Jayalalitha in TN. They also gave the example of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi in Bihar as a classic example of winning on vote bank politics at the expense of any development. Bihar was ruled by the husband and wife for more than a decade and the state actually went considerably backward on all parameters. It came to such a situation that rulers felt that giving subsidies, free TVs, free rice, free power and a combination of caste/community appeasement is the success formula.
Modi, post 2002, put development as his mantra. It helped that he was ruling a state which is known for its entrepreneurship skills. He created a favourable atmosphere for the industrialists to invest and they responded. He also took a no nonsense stand against terrorism.For the first time in the history Gujarat virtually went curfew free for 5 years. Modi learned from the mistake Chandrababu Naidu made - that 60% of the population depends on agriculture and you ignore them at your peril. Instead of offering freebies to the agriculturalists, he went ahead and improved the irrigation facilities, tackled the critical water problem in the draught hit Saurashtra area and he even asked the farmers to pay for the power while at the same time ensuring uninterrupted power supply. The contribution of Agriculture to State GDP increased substantially.
He is not without his faults. But having defined sound administration as his USP, he ensured people got what they wanted - terrorism free environment, industrial development, agricultural development, electricity and water. And people voted him to a resounding victory with nearly 2/3 rd majority.
There is a message in this for the Centre and other State Governments. An inclusive development with security for the people will definitely pay.
And that definitely is a positive sign for our country
Today's election victory by BJP and Narendra Modi in Gujarat elections gives me some satisfaction. I am not a BJP supporter nor am I a party sympathizer. The satisfaction is because the voters have finally put the developmental agenda on the forefront and have returned a Chief Minister with a resounding margin. I hold no brief for Modi and what happened in 2002. But I have always held the view that what has happened in 2002 is to be treated as a crime and has to be tackled as such. Whoever was behind Godhra and the subsequent riots have to be brought to justice. But unfortunately our snail paced judicial system will ensure that people go scotfree (the Supreme Court has again ordered a CBI enquiry into Jagdish Tytlers role 23 years after the 1984 Sikh carnage in Delhi). No country can hope to raise to high levels if it compromises on law and order.
Coming back to the issue on hand why I am pleased with the election verdict is that there has been a perception that any Government that spends money on development work cannot expect to win and that only populism brings votes. Pundits pointed out to the examples of Chandrababu Naidu in AP, BJP in the Centre in 2004 and even Jayalalitha in TN. They also gave the example of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi in Bihar as a classic example of winning on vote bank politics at the expense of any development. Bihar was ruled by the husband and wife for more than a decade and the state actually went considerably backward on all parameters. It came to such a situation that rulers felt that giving subsidies, free TVs, free rice, free power and a combination of caste/community appeasement is the success formula.
Modi, post 2002, put development as his mantra. It helped that he was ruling a state which is known for its entrepreneurship skills. He created a favourable atmosphere for the industrialists to invest and they responded. He also took a no nonsense stand against terrorism.For the first time in the history Gujarat virtually went curfew free for 5 years. Modi learned from the mistake Chandrababu Naidu made - that 60% of the population depends on agriculture and you ignore them at your peril. Instead of offering freebies to the agriculturalists, he went ahead and improved the irrigation facilities, tackled the critical water problem in the draught hit Saurashtra area and he even asked the farmers to pay for the power while at the same time ensuring uninterrupted power supply. The contribution of Agriculture to State GDP increased substantially.
He is not without his faults. But having defined sound administration as his USP, he ensured people got what they wanted - terrorism free environment, industrial development, agricultural development, electricity and water. And people voted him to a resounding victory with nearly 2/3 rd majority.
There is a message in this for the Centre and other State Governments. An inclusive development with security for the people will definitely pay.
And that definitely is a positive sign for our country
Saturday 22 December 2007
Knowledge acquisition - Changing Trends
Education (and I don't mean just the formal education that we acquire in school and college - but what we learn over our lifetime) has two contents. Spread and Depth.
You need to have working knowledge on a considerable range of topics to effect a decent conversation with people from various backgrounds, while possessing in depth understanding on limited areas. As one grows older it is essential that one increases the depth quotient subject range. This comes only through seeking knowledge, associating it with your life/work and applying the same.
With the advent of the visual medium and the world wide web, it is easy to seek knowledge. In my younger days, I had to wait for the Radio news (broadcast thrice a day) or for the morning papers to find out about the latest developments in the world. The thud of the paper falling on the porch, thrown by the newspaper boy, still reverberates in the ears. There used to be a scramble for the papers - between me, my brother and father. To avoid one of us sulking in the morning father ordered the newspaper boy to deliver three papers - The Hindu, Indian Express and Malayala Manorama. We also subscribed to nearly 20 weeklies and magazines every month.
It was difficult to be in touch with the world on a 24x7 basis. Library books were the only source of knowledge while in college. One had to walk about a Kilometre and a half to reach the library in the University Campus. There was an upside to all this. We went in search of knowledge and never rested till we found it. Since it was difficult to get, we cherished it when we ultimately got it as we would a treasure.
Don't mistake me. I am not one of those guys who keeps on harping about 'the good old days'. Believe me when I say those days were not half as good as today. There is an information explosion today. We have so many sources of information. Apart from TV and WWW, we have customized information packaged as Podcasts, Audio books, e-books etc. We are indeed lucky to be alive in an era where the collective wisdom of the world is available at our fingertips at the click of a mouse or the pressing of a button of the remote.
One of my close friends used to point out a flaw in me. He used to say, "Swamy (that was my nickname for a long long time till I came to Kuwait), the problem with you is that you don't make people starve before you give them something. You anticipate their need even before they do and provide them with what they want. As a result they don't appreciate the value of your offering". The same is true of knowledge. Since it is available so freely and easily accessible, people don't appreciate the value of it. Also the way in which we are conditioned to assimilate information has changed. Having brought up on a staple of TV news, we are more keen on sensational headlines than on deep analysis of issues of greater significance. We are absorbed by Teji Bachan's funeral, Sachin's elbow, Sunil Dutt's life in jail, political grandstanding than about the status of the economy, detrimental government policies that affect millions, inflation, technological developments, internal and external security, to just name a few.
And WWW has destroyed creative thinking. Almost any information is available on the net. 99% of the people make a living out of copying and pasting from the web. This does not encourage people to think out of the box. In the long run, what is being created is a society that has superficial knowledge about trivial issues, has wrong priorities as far as knowledge acquisition is concerned, is not creative and lacking in necessary skill sets. There is neither spread or depth, though with a little change in attitude both can be obtained.
Fd 4 tho8? (oops! SMS language. that is for another post)
You need to have working knowledge on a considerable range of topics to effect a decent conversation with people from various backgrounds, while possessing in depth understanding on limited areas. As one grows older it is essential that one increases the depth quotient subject range. This comes only through seeking knowledge, associating it with your life/work and applying the same.
With the advent of the visual medium and the world wide web, it is easy to seek knowledge. In my younger days, I had to wait for the Radio news (broadcast thrice a day) or for the morning papers to find out about the latest developments in the world. The thud of the paper falling on the porch, thrown by the newspaper boy, still reverberates in the ears. There used to be a scramble for the papers - between me, my brother and father. To avoid one of us sulking in the morning father ordered the newspaper boy to deliver three papers - The Hindu, Indian Express and Malayala Manorama. We also subscribed to nearly 20 weeklies and magazines every month.
It was difficult to be in touch with the world on a 24x7 basis. Library books were the only source of knowledge while in college. One had to walk about a Kilometre and a half to reach the library in the University Campus. There was an upside to all this. We went in search of knowledge and never rested till we found it. Since it was difficult to get, we cherished it when we ultimately got it as we would a treasure.
Don't mistake me. I am not one of those guys who keeps on harping about 'the good old days'. Believe me when I say those days were not half as good as today. There is an information explosion today. We have so many sources of information. Apart from TV and WWW, we have customized information packaged as Podcasts, Audio books, e-books etc. We are indeed lucky to be alive in an era where the collective wisdom of the world is available at our fingertips at the click of a mouse or the pressing of a button of the remote.
One of my close friends used to point out a flaw in me. He used to say, "Swamy (that was my nickname for a long long time till I came to Kuwait), the problem with you is that you don't make people starve before you give them something. You anticipate their need even before they do and provide them with what they want. As a result they don't appreciate the value of your offering". The same is true of knowledge. Since it is available so freely and easily accessible, people don't appreciate the value of it. Also the way in which we are conditioned to assimilate information has changed. Having brought up on a staple of TV news, we are more keen on sensational headlines than on deep analysis of issues of greater significance. We are absorbed by Teji Bachan's funeral, Sachin's elbow, Sunil Dutt's life in jail, political grandstanding than about the status of the economy, detrimental government policies that affect millions, inflation, technological developments, internal and external security, to just name a few.
And WWW has destroyed creative thinking. Almost any information is available on the net. 99% of the people make a living out of copying and pasting from the web. This does not encourage people to think out of the box. In the long run, what is being created is a society that has superficial knowledge about trivial issues, has wrong priorities as far as knowledge acquisition is concerned, is not creative and lacking in necessary skill sets. There is neither spread or depth, though with a little change in attitude both can be obtained.
Fd 4 tho8? (oops! SMS language. that is for another post)
Thursday 20 December 2007
How old is the Modern Management Theory?
Chanakyan's (350-283 BC) 'Arthasasthram' gives an insight into Rajaneethi (this can be construed as Corporate Governance or Strategic Management in today's organizational context). A small excerpt loosely translated to English is provided below;
He talks at length about what ought to be done (not to be done) when starting a new venture.
'Delays and a lack of fixity of purpose result in the objectives not being achieved. There are very few ventures or action plans that do not have a downside to it. However, if the negatives far outweigh the positives, it is desirable not to start the venture. Organization should grab the opportunities that comes its way; failure to do so might end up as being detrimental to the organization in the long run. One of the critical success factors is the knowledge about the environment. Inordinate delays will negate the effectiveness of the venture. Hence it is very important that action is taken in time. If the environmental factors (PEST - Political, Economical, Social and Technological?) are favourable, success of the venture is assured. However, if they are antagonistic, even the best laid plans might not fructify. The plan should be tested prior to implementation (origins of Test Marketing?). This should be done through Knowledge and Estimation. Pre-testing of the plan will reduce the risk factors and ensure its success.'
Should we rewrite the history of modern management theory which is construed to be about 100 years old?
He talks at length about what ought to be done (not to be done) when starting a new venture.
'Delays and a lack of fixity of purpose result in the objectives not being achieved. There are very few ventures or action plans that do not have a downside to it. However, if the negatives far outweigh the positives, it is desirable not to start the venture. Organization should grab the opportunities that comes its way; failure to do so might end up as being detrimental to the organization in the long run. One of the critical success factors is the knowledge about the environment. Inordinate delays will negate the effectiveness of the venture. Hence it is very important that action is taken in time. If the environmental factors (PEST - Political, Economical, Social and Technological?) are favourable, success of the venture is assured. However, if they are antagonistic, even the best laid plans might not fructify. The plan should be tested prior to implementation (origins of Test Marketing?). This should be done through Knowledge and Estimation. Pre-testing of the plan will reduce the risk factors and ensure its success.'
Should we rewrite the history of modern management theory which is construed to be about 100 years old?
Wednesday 19 December 2007
Of Iddlys, Milk and Tea
There are fond memories from the college days.
So many professors and lecturers have taken class for us. Most of them were average. Never bothered to create a relationship with the students. But there were exceptions.
This professor, who hailed from the Kerala-Karnataka border, would welcome us with a huge smile whenever we visited his house. He would not even allow us to open the topic as to why we had come in the first place. We are to head straight to the wash basin, wash our hands and then he will seat us in the dining table. His affectionate wife will then place plates in front of us and will dump a mountain of iddlys. To this day I do not know how she used to magically get 20-30 iddlys in no time. They didn't have children, and used to look at all of us, his students as own children. No amount of protest that we already had our breakfast or lunch will make him or her change their mind. They will not let us go without eating at least 10-12 of those delicious king-size iddlys. "Young boys! You are at a growing phase. You need all the energy that you can muster", this used to be their refrain, peppered with some solid backslapping which will make us splutter. If we open our mouth to raise the issue that we had come to discuss, we will get an admonishment 'You should never speak while you have food in the mouth'. Finally, finally when we sit back relieved after seeing the last of the iddlys, madam will come with a huge, huge glass ( I have never seen a bigger glass than that in my life) full of milk and both Professor and his wife will sit opposite to us with a satisfied look on their face while we struggle to somehow drink the milk. By the time the ordeal is over, we would have forgotten what we came for and there will be a scramble for the slippers (albeit in slow motion as we are so full by then even to get up from the chair) and then to the gate. I still remember the faces of the husband and wife standing by the door pleased as a punch.
Contrast this with our head of the department. He looked menacing with his cycle handle-bar moustache, red eyes and fearsome look. But he had a heart of gold. We were welcome to his house anytime of the day. Whenever we visited him, he will come directly to the point as to what we wanted and start clarifying the issue on hand. His wife will silently walk in and place in front of us a very very small glass of tea (I came across a glass similar to that only after coming to Kuwait) and a plate containing 10-12 small round biscuits. Once when one of us smiled at this, he remarked, 'Son, I know you are not hungry. Do not look at the quantity. It is the gesture of offering something to the guest that matters. I am sure that if you are really hungry, you will exercise your liberty with me to ask for a decent meal'
Two contrasting approaches to guests. Who was right? A quarter of a century later, I still do not have the answer. One thing I know, I fondly remember both of them for their humaneness.
So many professors and lecturers have taken class for us. Most of them were average. Never bothered to create a relationship with the students. But there were exceptions.
This professor, who hailed from the Kerala-Karnataka border, would welcome us with a huge smile whenever we visited his house. He would not even allow us to open the topic as to why we had come in the first place. We are to head straight to the wash basin, wash our hands and then he will seat us in the dining table. His affectionate wife will then place plates in front of us and will dump a mountain of iddlys. To this day I do not know how she used to magically get 20-30 iddlys in no time. They didn't have children, and used to look at all of us, his students as own children. No amount of protest that we already had our breakfast or lunch will make him or her change their mind. They will not let us go without eating at least 10-12 of those delicious king-size iddlys. "Young boys! You are at a growing phase. You need all the energy that you can muster", this used to be their refrain, peppered with some solid backslapping which will make us splutter. If we open our mouth to raise the issue that we had come to discuss, we will get an admonishment 'You should never speak while you have food in the mouth'. Finally, finally when we sit back relieved after seeing the last of the iddlys, madam will come with a huge, huge glass ( I have never seen a bigger glass than that in my life) full of milk and both Professor and his wife will sit opposite to us with a satisfied look on their face while we struggle to somehow drink the milk. By the time the ordeal is over, we would have forgotten what we came for and there will be a scramble for the slippers (albeit in slow motion as we are so full by then even to get up from the chair) and then to the gate. I still remember the faces of the husband and wife standing by the door pleased as a punch.
Contrast this with our head of the department. He looked menacing with his cycle handle-bar moustache, red eyes and fearsome look. But he had a heart of gold. We were welcome to his house anytime of the day. Whenever we visited him, he will come directly to the point as to what we wanted and start clarifying the issue on hand. His wife will silently walk in and place in front of us a very very small glass of tea (I came across a glass similar to that only after coming to Kuwait) and a plate containing 10-12 small round biscuits. Once when one of us smiled at this, he remarked, 'Son, I know you are not hungry. Do not look at the quantity. It is the gesture of offering something to the guest that matters. I am sure that if you are really hungry, you will exercise your liberty with me to ask for a decent meal'
Two contrasting approaches to guests. Who was right? A quarter of a century later, I still do not have the answer. One thing I know, I fondly remember both of them for their humaneness.
Monday 17 December 2007
Show Empathy
Children have always been comfortable with me. This despite my large frame. There are two reasons for this. I don't make two mistakes which most of the people make when they meet a child.
Let us assume you are visiting your friends house. You see his 2 year old child sitting on the floor, playing happily. What do you do normally? You swoop down on the child, lift him up and give him a crushing hug, all the time talking loudly to him. The child is scared stiff by now. Then what do you do? You see the child clutching a toy and immediately ask him/her "Will you give that toy to Uncle/Aunty?'. You can forget about having any friendship with that child.
Imagine you are sitting watching the TV in the house peacefully. Your fathers long forgotten friend ( let us assume he is 6ft 5 inches tall, weighs 120kg and you have not seen him at all, but he knows you by name) walks in and gives you a bear hug and lifts you off the floor. How will you feel? Very uncomfortable?. This is precisely how a child feels. For you, he is your friends son, but for him you are a total stranger and he doesn't (for that matter, nor do we) like strangers to enter our intimate space. Also for a child sitting on the floor, all of 2.5 feet, you at 5ft 8inches looks like a giant (if you want to know how you look to him from that angle, watch the lovely movie 'Baby's Day Out'). And there he is in his comfort zone, playing peacefully when his whole world is shattered by this strange animal - you, whom he has never met in his life. Still wonder why keeps a distance after that?
A child is very very possessive. He is very attached to his toys or for that matter anything that belongs to him. The moment you ask him to give you the toy he has in his hand, he starts loathing you and looks at you as someone who has come to snatch his belongings. Still expect him to form a relationship with you? You must be very optimistic.
So how do you handle this?. First thing you have to do is allow some space between you and the child. Then sit on the floor, keeping a distance of at least 1-2 feet from him. Casually ask him what he is doing, give him some ideas but don't, don't touch his toys or him. After he starts talking to you, give him a chocolate (always carry some) and allow him to take it from your hand. Always give a child a toy and never ask for his toys to be given to you. Extend your hand and let him touch you rather than the other way around. Mark my words, he will be devoted to you in 5 minutes.
This is called Empathy. Empathy (from the Greek εμπάθεια, transliterated as empatheia, meaning "physical affection, partiality") is commonly defined as one's ability to recognize, perceive and feel directly the emotion of another. This is not to be confused with Pity, sympathy or compassion. In this case, you are empathising with the child which makes him very comfortable. As a human being the greatest thing you can have is empathy. If you are able to put yourself in others shoes and think like him/her, you will be able to understand most of the issues much better.
The story of you and the child can be extended to the work place. More often than not, a new manager to an organization behaves to his subordinates like what most people do with the child. He tries to look at everything from his viewpoint, scantily showing empathy and trying to change too many things too soon without giving a chance for the employees to get to know him and vice versa.
When you take up a new job, get down on your knees, offer something to the subordinates which they like, let them feel you (know who you are, what they can expect of you and what you stand for) and you in turn try to understand them better. Don't shake them out of their comfort zone too soon. You can effect change, but it has to be a gradual process.
Let us assume you are visiting your friends house. You see his 2 year old child sitting on the floor, playing happily. What do you do normally? You swoop down on the child, lift him up and give him a crushing hug, all the time talking loudly to him. The child is scared stiff by now. Then what do you do? You see the child clutching a toy and immediately ask him/her "Will you give that toy to Uncle/Aunty?'. You can forget about having any friendship with that child.
Imagine you are sitting watching the TV in the house peacefully. Your fathers long forgotten friend ( let us assume he is 6ft 5 inches tall, weighs 120kg and you have not seen him at all, but he knows you by name) walks in and gives you a bear hug and lifts you off the floor. How will you feel? Very uncomfortable?. This is precisely how a child feels. For you, he is your friends son, but for him you are a total stranger and he doesn't (for that matter, nor do we) like strangers to enter our intimate space. Also for a child sitting on the floor, all of 2.5 feet, you at 5ft 8inches looks like a giant (if you want to know how you look to him from that angle, watch the lovely movie 'Baby's Day Out'). And there he is in his comfort zone, playing peacefully when his whole world is shattered by this strange animal - you, whom he has never met in his life. Still wonder why keeps a distance after that?
A child is very very possessive. He is very attached to his toys or for that matter anything that belongs to him. The moment you ask him to give you the toy he has in his hand, he starts loathing you and looks at you as someone who has come to snatch his belongings. Still expect him to form a relationship with you? You must be very optimistic.
So how do you handle this?. First thing you have to do is allow some space between you and the child. Then sit on the floor, keeping a distance of at least 1-2 feet from him. Casually ask him what he is doing, give him some ideas but don't, don't touch his toys or him. After he starts talking to you, give him a chocolate (always carry some) and allow him to take it from your hand. Always give a child a toy and never ask for his toys to be given to you. Extend your hand and let him touch you rather than the other way around. Mark my words, he will be devoted to you in 5 minutes.
This is called Empathy. Empathy (from the Greek εμπάθεια, transliterated as empatheia, meaning "physical affection, partiality") is commonly defined as one's ability to recognize, perceive and feel directly the emotion of another. This is not to be confused with Pity, sympathy or compassion. In this case, you are empathising with the child which makes him very comfortable. As a human being the greatest thing you can have is empathy. If you are able to put yourself in others shoes and think like him/her, you will be able to understand most of the issues much better.
The story of you and the child can be extended to the work place. More often than not, a new manager to an organization behaves to his subordinates like what most people do with the child. He tries to look at everything from his viewpoint, scantily showing empathy and trying to change too many things too soon without giving a chance for the employees to get to know him and vice versa.
When you take up a new job, get down on your knees, offer something to the subordinates which they like, let them feel you (know who you are, what they can expect of you and what you stand for) and you in turn try to understand them better. Don't shake them out of their comfort zone too soon. You can effect change, but it has to be a gradual process.
Sunday 16 December 2007
Efficacy and Efficiency
An army was marching through a thick Amazon forest. The trees were so huge that even the sky was not visible. There were two separate groups marching relentlessly. The Captain of the first group called his Lieutenant and asked him to climb a tree to check the progress. The Captain of the second group did likewise with his Lieutenant. They marched on. After 2 hours, the exercise of climbing the tree to check the progress was repeated.
The first group's Lieutenant slid down from the tree, saluted the Captain and said, " Sir, we have covered a lot of ground"
However, the second group's Lieutenant gave this feedback, " Sir, we have come a long way since the last time, but sir, we are going in the wrong direction"
You must have noticed the fundamental difference here. The first lieutenant was more concerned about the distance covered during the 2 hours rather than think about the end objective of reaching the destination. Most of the managers and workers are like that. They go on harping about how they have worked hard without realizing that they are not contributing anything to achieving the corporate objectives. The second lieutenant was quite conscious of his objectives and was prepared to give a proper feedback that led to mid term corrections leading to the group reaching the destination. A manager becomes a leader when he does this.
Bhagavath Gita describes this beautifully by differentiating between Efficacy and Efficiency.
Efficacy (or Effectiveness) is DOING THE RIGHT THING, while
Efficiency is DOING THINGS RIGHT.
You need both Efficacy and Efficiency. But efficiency without efficacy will lead you astray.
The first group's Lieutenant slid down from the tree, saluted the Captain and said, " Sir, we have covered a lot of ground"
However, the second group's Lieutenant gave this feedback, " Sir, we have come a long way since the last time, but sir, we are going in the wrong direction"
You must have noticed the fundamental difference here. The first lieutenant was more concerned about the distance covered during the 2 hours rather than think about the end objective of reaching the destination. Most of the managers and workers are like that. They go on harping about how they have worked hard without realizing that they are not contributing anything to achieving the corporate objectives. The second lieutenant was quite conscious of his objectives and was prepared to give a proper feedback that led to mid term corrections leading to the group reaching the destination. A manager becomes a leader when he does this.
Bhagavath Gita describes this beautifully by differentiating between Efficacy and Efficiency.
Efficacy (or Effectiveness) is DOING THE RIGHT THING, while
Efficiency is DOING THINGS RIGHT.
You need both Efficacy and Efficiency. But efficiency without efficacy will lead you astray.
Saturday 15 December 2007
Six Sigma and my Great Grandfather
My great grand father was a tyrant. He was a Magistrate and those days a Magistrate carries locally as much, if not more, prestige than the Chief Justice of India of today.
This incident occurred during the last stages of his life. He was 84 and his wife, my great grandmother, was 72. As was the custom in traditional brahmin families, food was always prepared fresh three times a day as the head of the family rarely ate stale food. Like most of her contemporaries, my great grandmother was a superb cook.
One day my great grandfather sat to have his lunch. He took one morsel, spat it out and threw the plate with the food on my great grandmothers face. "How can you be so careless as to put extra salt in the Sambar?", he screamed at the poor woman.
She was also made of sterner stuff, having lived with him for a long time. She tasted the sambar and found that though it was slightly salty, by no means it was unpalatable.
Giving him back in his own coin she said " I have been cooking for you for 60 long years (No, I have not got the years wrong. Those days girls marry at the age of 12) and never once had this happened. I am getting older and I am not as sure as I was. Maybe the hand jerked a little while putting the salt. It was a mistake. You don't have to throw such a tantrum for this"
"That is precisely my point. You have been cooking thrice a day for 60 long years. You should have achieved such perfection by now that even if you are cooking in your sleep, you should not have made such a mistake. How can you?", thus saying he stomped off.
My great grandmother used to tell us this incident when we were very young. At the time we hated the tyrant as we had never met him and know him only through his reputation. But we knew great grandmother and she was a sweet lady.
But later, when I studied management and underwent training in Quality Management, I started appreciating my Great grandfathers view point. And it was reinforced when I was exposed to the Six Sigma concept.
People like my great grandfather and great grandmother practiced Six Sigma in all aspects of life on a daily basis.
Why did we never inherit such good habits from them?
This incident occurred during the last stages of his life. He was 84 and his wife, my great grandmother, was 72. As was the custom in traditional brahmin families, food was always prepared fresh three times a day as the head of the family rarely ate stale food. Like most of her contemporaries, my great grandmother was a superb cook.
One day my great grandfather sat to have his lunch. He took one morsel, spat it out and threw the plate with the food on my great grandmothers face. "How can you be so careless as to put extra salt in the Sambar?", he screamed at the poor woman.
She was also made of sterner stuff, having lived with him for a long time. She tasted the sambar and found that though it was slightly salty, by no means it was unpalatable.
Giving him back in his own coin she said " I have been cooking for you for 60 long years (No, I have not got the years wrong. Those days girls marry at the age of 12) and never once had this happened. I am getting older and I am not as sure as I was. Maybe the hand jerked a little while putting the salt. It was a mistake. You don't have to throw such a tantrum for this"
"That is precisely my point. You have been cooking thrice a day for 60 long years. You should have achieved such perfection by now that even if you are cooking in your sleep, you should not have made such a mistake. How can you?", thus saying he stomped off.
My great grandmother used to tell us this incident when we were very young. At the time we hated the tyrant as we had never met him and know him only through his reputation. But we knew great grandmother and she was a sweet lady.
But later, when I studied management and underwent training in Quality Management, I started appreciating my Great grandfathers view point. And it was reinforced when I was exposed to the Six Sigma concept.
People like my great grandfather and great grandmother practiced Six Sigma in all aspects of life on a daily basis.
Why did we never inherit such good habits from them?
Thursday 13 December 2007
Back to Basics.................
My native district, Palakkad has a history of producing great musicians. Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, K V Narayanaswamy and Palakkad Mani Iyyer are legendary musicians and well known world over. For the connossieur, they dont come better than the Late M D Ramanathan, whose baritone voice and singing in vilamba kala, was virtually unimitable and something to cherish for ever.
About a quarter of a century ago, M D Ramanathan, who incidently was a teacher par excellence having taught in Kalakshetra, was called as the External Examiner for the Gana Bhooshanam Students practical examination. Now, for those who are not aware of what this program is, you need to know that Palakkad has a full fledged Music College called Chembai Smaraka Music College where diplomas and degrees in Carnatic Music are offered.
Gana Bhooshanam is one of the premier programs and the student has to sing a keerthana asked by the Examiner, who will evaluate his performance and award him the marks. Since the student has attained a good level of proficiency by the final year of Ganabhooshanam, normally he/she comes prepared to sing some complex keerthanas of any of the Trinity.
The examiners panel had other than the legendary Maestro M D Ramanathan, two more examiners, both professors in the college. M D Ramanathan is known for his impish sense of humour while at the same time his standing as a senior vidwan do not permit others to take liberty with him. He was highly respected.
Typical of any viva voce exam, the students gathered outside the exam hall and discussed at length what will be asked of them. Some said Tyagaraja krithis, others said Dikshitar Kritis and so it went depending on how each one of them had interpreted the character of MDR.
The first student walked in full of confidence. M D Ramanathan looked at him and asked 'Are you well prepared?'. The student nodded.
"Then sing the mayamalava gowla janta varisai"
Mayamalava Gowla janta varisai is the first thing a student learns in Carnatic Music. It is the foundation on which the entire study is built. A sequence of saptha swaras in various order.
The student was flabbergasted. He was 22 and had studied music for nearly 16 years and now at the culmination of studies, here he is asked to sing what he first learned as a 6 year old. He was totally unprepared as his preparations were based on complex and advanced krithis. Even the other two examiners were stunned. The student looked at them and back at Maestro who was phlegmatic.
Gathering his breath, he somehow managed to sing the jantavarisai, though needless to say , it was a poor effort. He was not asked any other question.
He went out and was surrounded by other students who were eager to know the level of questions asked. They did not believe him when he said that he was asked to sing jantavarisai. It was unheard of.
Student number 2 went in and came out. The same question was asked with the same result. The scene was repeated again and again. Students became restive as they felt that they are being insulted on being asked such a trivial question. The word went up through the other teachers to the two local examiners, one of whom gathering courage went up to the Maestro and told him that the students were very very unhappy and on the point of revolting.
M D Ramanathan didnt say anything. Just got up and went outside to the hall were the students were gathered, as were a few professors. He turned to the two local examiners and asked them to sing the Jantavarisai. Stunned, one of them with great reluctance sang it reasonably well.
"Umm.....sabash.....not bad", said MDR
He looked to a girl student and pointed to a tambura and asked her to sit near him playing the tambura for sruthi and then HE SANG the Janatavarisai in Mayamalavagowla that lasted a few minutes.
My source is someone who was fortunate enough to be there on that day and he said that the whole world stopped for those few minutes. It was so perfect, melodious and divine that there was pin drop silence at the end of it all.
The teachers and students had their mouth open in astonishment.
The Maestro got up and said "It is alright for you to study complex sangathis. But it is of no use if you dont have your foundation right. Unless and until your basics are perfect, you will never become a great vidwan. As we study more, we tend to forget the basics and this was clear from the way you sang the jantavarisai when I asked. So get back to basics and polish it everyday"
And humming a beautiful Geetham, he walked off leaving a chastened but wise audience behind.
This is true in every walk of life including management.
Go back and relearn basics every day
About a quarter of a century ago, M D Ramanathan, who incidently was a teacher par excellence having taught in Kalakshetra, was called as the External Examiner for the Gana Bhooshanam Students practical examination. Now, for those who are not aware of what this program is, you need to know that Palakkad has a full fledged Music College called Chembai Smaraka Music College where diplomas and degrees in Carnatic Music are offered.
Gana Bhooshanam is one of the premier programs and the student has to sing a keerthana asked by the Examiner, who will evaluate his performance and award him the marks. Since the student has attained a good level of proficiency by the final year of Ganabhooshanam, normally he/she comes prepared to sing some complex keerthanas of any of the Trinity.
The examiners panel had other than the legendary Maestro M D Ramanathan, two more examiners, both professors in the college. M D Ramanathan is known for his impish sense of humour while at the same time his standing as a senior vidwan do not permit others to take liberty with him. He was highly respected.
Typical of any viva voce exam, the students gathered outside the exam hall and discussed at length what will be asked of them. Some said Tyagaraja krithis, others said Dikshitar Kritis and so it went depending on how each one of them had interpreted the character of MDR.
The first student walked in full of confidence. M D Ramanathan looked at him and asked 'Are you well prepared?'. The student nodded.
"Then sing the mayamalava gowla janta varisai"
Mayamalava Gowla janta varisai is the first thing a student learns in Carnatic Music. It is the foundation on which the entire study is built. A sequence of saptha swaras in various order.
The student was flabbergasted. He was 22 and had studied music for nearly 16 years and now at the culmination of studies, here he is asked to sing what he first learned as a 6 year old. He was totally unprepared as his preparations were based on complex and advanced krithis. Even the other two examiners were stunned. The student looked at them and back at Maestro who was phlegmatic.
Gathering his breath, he somehow managed to sing the jantavarisai, though needless to say , it was a poor effort. He was not asked any other question.
He went out and was surrounded by other students who were eager to know the level of questions asked. They did not believe him when he said that he was asked to sing jantavarisai. It was unheard of.
Student number 2 went in and came out. The same question was asked with the same result. The scene was repeated again and again. Students became restive as they felt that they are being insulted on being asked such a trivial question. The word went up through the other teachers to the two local examiners, one of whom gathering courage went up to the Maestro and told him that the students were very very unhappy and on the point of revolting.
M D Ramanathan didnt say anything. Just got up and went outside to the hall were the students were gathered, as were a few professors. He turned to the two local examiners and asked them to sing the Jantavarisai. Stunned, one of them with great reluctance sang it reasonably well.
"Umm.....sabash.....not bad", said MDR
He looked to a girl student and pointed to a tambura and asked her to sit near him playing the tambura for sruthi and then HE SANG the Janatavarisai in Mayamalavagowla that lasted a few minutes.
My source is someone who was fortunate enough to be there on that day and he said that the whole world stopped for those few minutes. It was so perfect, melodious and divine that there was pin drop silence at the end of it all.
The teachers and students had their mouth open in astonishment.
The Maestro got up and said "It is alright for you to study complex sangathis. But it is of no use if you dont have your foundation right. Unless and until your basics are perfect, you will never become a great vidwan. As we study more, we tend to forget the basics and this was clear from the way you sang the jantavarisai when I asked. So get back to basics and polish it everyday"
And humming a beautiful Geetham, he walked off leaving a chastened but wise audience behind.
This is true in every walk of life including management.
Go back and relearn basics every day
Wednesday 12 December 2007
Make the most of those moments.........
Another nice story. Author unknown. Read on .....................................
Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. It was a cowboy's life, a life for someone who wanted no boss. What I didn't realize was that it was also a ministry. Because I drove the night shift, my cab became a moving confessional. Passengers climbed in, sat behind me in total anonymity, and told me about their lives. I encountered people whose lives amazed me, ennobled me, made me laugh and weep.
But none touched me more than a woman I picked up late one August night. I was responding to a call from a small brick four-plex in a quiet part of town. I assumed I was being sent to pick up some party people, or someone who had just had a fight with a lover, or a worker heading to an early shift at some factory in the industrial part of town.
When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under such circumstances, many drivers just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked.
"Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.
"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she asked.
I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.
"It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated."
"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said.
When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, "Can you drive through downtown?"
"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.
"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice."
I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. "I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long."
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked.
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.
I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.
"How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.
"Nothing," I said.
"You have to make a living," she answered.
"There are other passengers," I responded.
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. "You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you."
I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.
I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?
On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.
We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware . . . beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one. "
Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. It was a cowboy's life, a life for someone who wanted no boss. What I didn't realize was that it was also a ministry. Because I drove the night shift, my cab became a moving confessional. Passengers climbed in, sat behind me in total anonymity, and told me about their lives. I encountered people whose lives amazed me, ennobled me, made me laugh and weep.
But none touched me more than a woman I picked up late one August night. I was responding to a call from a small brick four-plex in a quiet part of town. I assumed I was being sent to pick up some party people, or someone who had just had a fight with a lover, or a worker heading to an early shift at some factory in the industrial part of town.
When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window. Under such circumstances, many drivers just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked.
"Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.
"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she asked.
I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.
"It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated."
"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said.
When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, "Can you drive through downtown?"
"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.
"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice."
I looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. "I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long."
I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked.
For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.
As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.
I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.
"How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.
"Nothing," I said.
"You have to make a living," she answered.
"There are other passengers," I responded.
Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. "You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you."
I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.
I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?
On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.
We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware . . . beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one. "
Tuesday 11 December 2007
Big John doesn't pay!
Here is a nice anecdote sent by a student through e-mail,
One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well
At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said,
" Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back.
Did I mention that the driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek?. Well, he was. Naturally, he didn't argue with Big John, but he wasn't happy about it.
The next day the same thing happened - Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next.
This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff.
By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, " Big John doesn't pay!"
The driver stood up, glared back at the passenger, and screamed, " And why not?"
With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, " Big John has a bus pass."
Management Lesson: "Be sure there is a problem in the first place before working hard to solve one."
One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well
At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said,
" Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back.
Did I mention that the driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek?. Well, he was. Naturally, he didn't argue with Big John, but he wasn't happy about it.
The next day the same thing happened - Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next.
This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff.
By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, " Big John doesn't pay!"
The driver stood up, glared back at the passenger, and screamed, " And why not?"
With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, " Big John has a bus pass."
Management Lesson: "Be sure there is a problem in the first place before working hard to solve one."
Monday 10 December 2007
Recession Ahoy!!
All indicators point to a recession in Indian Economy.
The current growth rate is not sustainable. The raising of CRR by RBI has squeezed the liquidity out of the system. There just isn't enough money floating around.
The consumption has shown a marked decrease in growth during 2007. It has started hurting industrial production. Export has slowed down as pending orders are executed and hardly any new orders have been signed during the past 6 months. The blue eyed baby, IT Exports, has been hit badly by the Rupee appreciation. Public investments in real rupee terms has not increased substantially. Investments in Capital Intensive Industries are likely to slow down as threat of excess capacity loom large as investments are market driven.
The burgeoning forex reserves is more due to higher rates of interest prevalent here and cannot be counted upon. The impact of high oil prices on economy will be felt by around now. A hike in fuel prices post Gujarat elections is on the cards.
Disinvestments and financial sector reforms are on hold. With uncertainty over the survival of the Government anticipated post Gujarat elections, implementation of already announced schemes is likely to become tardy. Lack of leadership at the top has started hurting the economy.
With the US economy entering a definite recession, its impact on the Indian Economy will be adverse. Rupee will continue to appreciate against Dollar and is predicted to touch the Rs 35 mark in the near term. This will further hamper exports.
Finally, though the official inflation figures show a level of comfort, the ground reality is different. Prices of essential commodities are on an all time high. This will ensure that more money will be spent on consumption than on savings.
Bold policy initiatives are the need of the hour. But we cant even expect to dream about it from Dr.Manmohan Singh's Government.
"Easwaro Rakshathu"
The current growth rate is not sustainable. The raising of CRR by RBI has squeezed the liquidity out of the system. There just isn't enough money floating around.
The consumption has shown a marked decrease in growth during 2007. It has started hurting industrial production. Export has slowed down as pending orders are executed and hardly any new orders have been signed during the past 6 months. The blue eyed baby, IT Exports, has been hit badly by the Rupee appreciation. Public investments in real rupee terms has not increased substantially. Investments in Capital Intensive Industries are likely to slow down as threat of excess capacity loom large as investments are market driven.
The burgeoning forex reserves is more due to higher rates of interest prevalent here and cannot be counted upon. The impact of high oil prices on economy will be felt by around now. A hike in fuel prices post Gujarat elections is on the cards.
Disinvestments and financial sector reforms are on hold. With uncertainty over the survival of the Government anticipated post Gujarat elections, implementation of already announced schemes is likely to become tardy. Lack of leadership at the top has started hurting the economy.
With the US economy entering a definite recession, its impact on the Indian Economy will be adverse. Rupee will continue to appreciate against Dollar and is predicted to touch the Rs 35 mark in the near term. This will further hamper exports.
Finally, though the official inflation figures show a level of comfort, the ground reality is different. Prices of essential commodities are on an all time high. This will ensure that more money will be spent on consumption than on savings.
Bold policy initiatives are the need of the hour. But we cant even expect to dream about it from Dr.Manmohan Singh's Government.
"Easwaro Rakshathu"
Saturday 8 December 2007
When was the last time...............................?
When was the last time you said with all your heart "Thank You"?
When was the last time you said to anyone" I appreciate what you have done for me"?
When was the last time you said " I love you" to your spouse?
When was the last time you called up your parents and said " I am what I am because of you, thanks. I love you"?
When was the last time you waited an extra second to let go a car in the traffic?
When was the last time you helped a Stranger?
When was the last time you went out of the way to help a colleague?
When was the last time you read a bed time story to your child or hugged him/her?
When was the last time you sat with your teen aged boy/girl and listened to his/her dreams?
When was the last time you appreciated your wife's cooking?
When was the last time you bought a surprise gift for anyone?
When was the last time you invited a guest for lunch or dinner?
When was the last time you took pains to teach someone something/anything?
When was the last time you spoke positively about someone?
When was the last time you went to visit an ailing acquaintance to cheer him/her up?
and...................................
When was the last time you prayed thanking the God for what he has done rather than asking him what you want?
If you have not done ALL of the above during the course of the past one week, I feel sorry for you
When was the last time you said to anyone" I appreciate what you have done for me"?
When was the last time you said " I love you" to your spouse?
When was the last time you called up your parents and said " I am what I am because of you, thanks. I love you"?
When was the last time you waited an extra second to let go a car in the traffic?
When was the last time you helped a Stranger?
When was the last time you went out of the way to help a colleague?
When was the last time you read a bed time story to your child or hugged him/her?
When was the last time you sat with your teen aged boy/girl and listened to his/her dreams?
When was the last time you appreciated your wife's cooking?
When was the last time you bought a surprise gift for anyone?
When was the last time you invited a guest for lunch or dinner?
When was the last time you took pains to teach someone something/anything?
When was the last time you spoke positively about someone?
When was the last time you went to visit an ailing acquaintance to cheer him/her up?
and...................................
When was the last time you prayed thanking the God for what he has done rather than asking him what you want?
If you have not done ALL of the above during the course of the past one week, I feel sorry for you
Life is Beautiful!
I was in Centre Point today morning to buy some winter clothings. I saw an attractive T-Shirt on the shelf. Normally CentrePoint keeps some sample sizes on the hangar for people to try out. This is to prevent people from soiling all the dresses. Unable to find one of similar size on the hangar, I called across to a Philippino Sales Lady and asked her whether I can get one to try the size. She asked me to take one from the shelf. I responded "I don't want to give you additional work. If you have one on the hangar, I would rather try it than make you fold the one on the shelf again". The look on her face was one of sheer happiness, relief and amazement. She came to me crossing two rows with a huge smile and saying, "Sir, that is first nice thing I have heard in this job for a long, long time. Some one genuinely cares for my work", she personally took out my size from the shelf, removed the packaging and opened it out for me to try with a huge huge smile. On my way to trying out the T Shirt for size, while I was happy that I gave her something to cheer about (though what I did to make her so happy, I still could not fathom), it left me wondering as to why is it that such a small comment made a big impact on her. Is it that she is treated shabbily in the workplace and by customers? Is it that customer take sales people for granted and order them around?. Why can't we all show a bit of humaneness and old world courtesy in our interactions?. The world will be a much better place.
In the afternoon, I had gone despite poor health, to honour a friends invitation to attend his company's social responsibility campaign on plastics at Avenues. On the way back, I stopped for fueling. It was one of those self service stations where you have to pay the money at the exit. There was a 4 lane queue all converging in front of the cash counter. I saw an old man in a GMC on my left and out of courtesy to an elderly person, I waved him to go ahead. Next thing I felt was a slight bump. The guy behind me had deliberately bumped me to show his protest. Since my car is old and identifying another scratch would have meant resurrecting Sherlock Holmes, I did not react. Once I paid the bill, this guy overtook me, cut in front of me, shook his fist and drove off. That was the thanks I got for being courteous to an old man.
Life is Beautiful!!!!
In the afternoon, I had gone despite poor health, to honour a friends invitation to attend his company's social responsibility campaign on plastics at Avenues. On the way back, I stopped for fueling. It was one of those self service stations where you have to pay the money at the exit. There was a 4 lane queue all converging in front of the cash counter. I saw an old man in a GMC on my left and out of courtesy to an elderly person, I waved him to go ahead. Next thing I felt was a slight bump. The guy behind me had deliberately bumped me to show his protest. Since my car is old and identifying another scratch would have meant resurrecting Sherlock Holmes, I did not react. Once I paid the bill, this guy overtook me, cut in front of me, shook his fist and drove off. That was the thanks I got for being courteous to an old man.
Life is Beautiful!!!!
Wednesday 5 December 2007
Stand out. Don't be part of a Herd
A city bred mathematics teacher was posted to a rural school. On his first day he asked the class,
“There are 100 sheep in a pen. If one were to walk out, how many remain?”
Bang came the answer
“ None “
Teacher was aghast,
“ You don’t know how to count. If one goes out, 99 will remain.”
“But you don’t know anything about the sheep. If one walks, the entire lot follows”, replied the street smart class.
Even humans have the herd mentality. But, while investing, always disregard the majority opinion (Zurich Axiom 10). It is invariably wrong. Never follow speculative fads. The best time to buy a share could possibly be when no one wants it.
“There are 100 sheep in a pen. If one were to walk out, how many remain?”
Bang came the answer
“ None “
Teacher was aghast,
“ You don’t know how to count. If one goes out, 99 will remain.”
“But you don’t know anything about the sheep. If one walks, the entire lot follows”, replied the street smart class.
Even humans have the herd mentality. But, while investing, always disregard the majority opinion (Zurich Axiom 10). It is invariably wrong. Never follow speculative fads. The best time to buy a share could possibly be when no one wants it.
Tuesday 4 December 2007
Don't Marry your Stock
Ever heard of the modern day Ant and the Grasshopper story?
“One day, a tiny ant, was seen busily digging up the earth, preparing for her a cosy anthill, for the approaching winter. She toiled through the summer season, selecting a nice little corner for her anthill, where the mud was loose and amenable and big human feet would be far away. She set at her task through night and day, tirelessly. Near her slowly growing anthill, was a tree on which a grasshopper lived. But, he was a wanderer. He flew to warmer climes when the winter draught crept in and lived off the blades of grass and berries of whichever land he happened to be.
As he watched the ant, building her home, he felt sorry for her. He knew that a day would come when the poor ant's anthill would be wiped off. And sure enough, it happened. A few days later, a huge lawn mower came to the park and a heap of grass was flung right atop the ant's anthill! The poor ant was crushed to death along with her anthill. The grasshopper mourned her for a day and then flew on…"
One of the first lessons to be learned in the investment game is to, move here and there. Look for greener pastures to feed on. If you hold on to your stocks for long, the likelihood is that when the crash comes, it will wipe out everything you have built!
Don’t marry your stock. Avoid putting down roots. They impede motion. (Zurich Axiom 6)
Be ready to jump away from trouble or seize opportunity. You do not have to bounce from one speculation to another like a ping-pong ball. All your moves should be made only after a careful assessment of the odds for and against, and no move should be made for trivial reasons. But when a venture is clearly souring, or when something clearly more promising comes into view, then you must sever those roots and go. Don’t let the roots get too thick to cut.
“One day, a tiny ant, was seen busily digging up the earth, preparing for her a cosy anthill, for the approaching winter. She toiled through the summer season, selecting a nice little corner for her anthill, where the mud was loose and amenable and big human feet would be far away. She set at her task through night and day, tirelessly. Near her slowly growing anthill, was a tree on which a grasshopper lived. But, he was a wanderer. He flew to warmer climes when the winter draught crept in and lived off the blades of grass and berries of whichever land he happened to be.
As he watched the ant, building her home, he felt sorry for her. He knew that a day would come when the poor ant's anthill would be wiped off. And sure enough, it happened. A few days later, a huge lawn mower came to the park and a heap of grass was flung right atop the ant's anthill! The poor ant was crushed to death along with her anthill. The grasshopper mourned her for a day and then flew on…"
One of the first lessons to be learned in the investment game is to, move here and there. Look for greener pastures to feed on. If you hold on to your stocks for long, the likelihood is that when the crash comes, it will wipe out everything you have built!
Don’t marry your stock. Avoid putting down roots. They impede motion. (Zurich Axiom 6)
Be ready to jump away from trouble or seize opportunity. You do not have to bounce from one speculation to another like a ping-pong ball. All your moves should be made only after a careful assessment of the odds for and against, and no move should be made for trivial reasons. But when a venture is clearly souring, or when something clearly more promising comes into view, then you must sever those roots and go. Don’t let the roots get too thick to cut.
Monday 3 December 2007
Of Hairy matters
When I was a kid, I had to endure a monthly ritual - hair cutting. All of us young kids will be rounded up by our grand father under a banyan tree and made to sit on a rickety wooden chair holding a small mirror on our hands. Perumal, our barber, will cut our hair as close to the scalp as possible under the stern eyes of the grand father. No amount of pleading to leave the hair a bit long will move our Grand father. Once the cutting is over (well it was one step ahead of being having a clean bald plate), water will be poured over our head prior to us being allowed to enter the house.
The guy, Perumal, was a specimen. Tall, fat, with hair pleated in the middle, sporting a Hitler moustache and round thick black framed glasses, he had a sinister look. His loyalty was to the grandfather and we were mere worms in his eyes. While cutting the hair, he will gossip non stop about the people nearby to my Grandfather, with least importance given to the quality of hair cutting. Nicks and bleeding were norms than exception. He used to charge a measly 4 annas (equal to 25 paise) per hair cut. Oh! how we kids hated him.
Then one day, he came to our house and declared that he will not be coming anymore to our house as he has opened a small one seater barber shop across the road. We were invited for the inauguration and there it was in all its glory. A small shop with wooden removable planks as doors, a thick wooden chair, with some mirrors. Perumals Barber Shop has taken off. One up for entrepreneurship. The cost of a hair cut was written in bold letters in a black board as 50 paise (100% inflation).
Time flew. About a decade later, I was in the college, and Perumal had sort of semi retired. His son found out to his dismay that the market potential in the nearby Palghat town, about 22 kms away, was much better. Off he went to Palghat (now called Palakkad), found a shop which was available for sale and purchased it ( my first exposure to Acquisition!!!). Now called 'Star Haircutting Saloon', the shop was in a prime location, had 3 full fledged Barber chairs with lots of mirrors, a music set blaring film songs all the time, some old magazines (why barber shops and doctors waiting rooms still have 3 month old magazines is still a mystery to me), driers, curlers and what not. That was the time when teenagers were sporting step cut, wearing long hairs and were very conscious of their hair. The cost of a hair cut has increased to Rs 2 by then.
In the years to come, I saw the business growing with the ubiquitous cable TV replacing the music system, saloon offering additional services like facials, bleaching, hair colouring etc.
I left Palakkad in search of my destiny and rarely visited this saloon for almost a decade and a half. When I went back recently, I wanted to have a haircut and obviously made it a point to go to a saloon which I was familiar with. I couldn't recognize it. The shop has been modernized beyond imagination. The name has been changed to 'Men's beauty parlour'. There was a neon sign board, the shop has been expanded by acquiring the nearby shops, now it had 12 chairs and looked high tech. The third generation of Perumal Family was running the show.
I had my hair cut, paid Rs 50 and was about to leave when a guy in his mid 20's stopped me at the exit. He looked strangely familiar. He gave me a visiting card which had 2 mobile numbers and said " Sir, we offer home service now. Just give us a call on this mobile numbers and we will be in your house within one hour and the charges are Rs 100 per hair cut". I looked up at him with an amused look. The guy was having long brownish hair pleated at the middle, was wearing a round frame less glass, was a little plump and had a thick moustache. If only he had the Hitler moustache, he would have looked exactly like his grandfather Perumal.
I thanked him and walked off. But couldn't help wondering. "What the heck! Home Service! This was exactly what your grand father was doing 3 decades ago and that too for 25 paise. The world has come a full circle and I now have to pay Rs 100 for the same service that I used to get all those years ago.
As I said earlier, 'The more things change, the more they remain the same'
The guy, Perumal, was a specimen. Tall, fat, with hair pleated in the middle, sporting a Hitler moustache and round thick black framed glasses, he had a sinister look. His loyalty was to the grandfather and we were mere worms in his eyes. While cutting the hair, he will gossip non stop about the people nearby to my Grandfather, with least importance given to the quality of hair cutting. Nicks and bleeding were norms than exception. He used to charge a measly 4 annas (equal to 25 paise) per hair cut. Oh! how we kids hated him.
Then one day, he came to our house and declared that he will not be coming anymore to our house as he has opened a small one seater barber shop across the road. We were invited for the inauguration and there it was in all its glory. A small shop with wooden removable planks as doors, a thick wooden chair, with some mirrors. Perumals Barber Shop has taken off. One up for entrepreneurship. The cost of a hair cut was written in bold letters in a black board as 50 paise (100% inflation).
Time flew. About a decade later, I was in the college, and Perumal had sort of semi retired. His son found out to his dismay that the market potential in the nearby Palghat town, about 22 kms away, was much better. Off he went to Palghat (now called Palakkad), found a shop which was available for sale and purchased it ( my first exposure to Acquisition!!!). Now called 'Star Haircutting Saloon', the shop was in a prime location, had 3 full fledged Barber chairs with lots of mirrors, a music set blaring film songs all the time, some old magazines (why barber shops and doctors waiting rooms still have 3 month old magazines is still a mystery to me), driers, curlers and what not. That was the time when teenagers were sporting step cut, wearing long hairs and were very conscious of their hair. The cost of a hair cut has increased to Rs 2 by then.
In the years to come, I saw the business growing with the ubiquitous cable TV replacing the music system, saloon offering additional services like facials, bleaching, hair colouring etc.
I left Palakkad in search of my destiny and rarely visited this saloon for almost a decade and a half. When I went back recently, I wanted to have a haircut and obviously made it a point to go to a saloon which I was familiar with. I couldn't recognize it. The shop has been modernized beyond imagination. The name has been changed to 'Men's beauty parlour'. There was a neon sign board, the shop has been expanded by acquiring the nearby shops, now it had 12 chairs and looked high tech. The third generation of Perumal Family was running the show.
I had my hair cut, paid Rs 50 and was about to leave when a guy in his mid 20's stopped me at the exit. He looked strangely familiar. He gave me a visiting card which had 2 mobile numbers and said " Sir, we offer home service now. Just give us a call on this mobile numbers and we will be in your house within one hour and the charges are Rs 100 per hair cut". I looked up at him with an amused look. The guy was having long brownish hair pleated at the middle, was wearing a round frame less glass, was a little plump and had a thick moustache. If only he had the Hitler moustache, he would have looked exactly like his grandfather Perumal.
I thanked him and walked off. But couldn't help wondering. "What the heck! Home Service! This was exactly what your grand father was doing 3 decades ago and that too for 25 paise. The world has come a full circle and I now have to pay Rs 100 for the same service that I used to get all those years ago.
As I said earlier, 'The more things change, the more they remain the same'
Sunday 2 December 2007
What is Professionalism?
A personal blog serves as a forum not only to air my views on various issues but also to share interesting stories and information I may have come across, with my readers. I was really impressed by the following real life story that carries a wonderful message. I read this in http://www.rediff.com/
"I don't like to shop. Clothes shopping, grocery shopping, car shopping; it doesn't matter -- I don't like it. I want to get in, get what I want (fast), and get out. A recent shopping experience, however, was a pleasant surprise.
This experience showcased customer service at its best, and at its most simple. Once again I was reminded that great service isn't about grand acts, it is about common courtesy, artfully delivered.
While on vacation in Chicago, I needed to buy a pair of casual shoes (I had forgotten mine). I found myself in a store called the Walking Company. A friend once told me it was a good store. It was crowded, so I almost left. But one of the salespeople made eye contact with me. It wasn't the kind of eye contact that said, "Oh no, another customer." Instead, it was eye contact that said, "I'll be right with you." It was good eye contact.
So I browsed around for a few minutes and found a pair of shoes I liked. Sure enough, the salesperson came up and said, "Sorry about the wait, let's get you some shoes." I showed her the pair I wanted and asked to try size 10. She said, "Let's measure your foot just to make sure." I know I wear size 10, but her whole demeanour showed that she wanted to make sure I got the right shoes.
She measured my foot and said, "Size 10 is right, but you have a very 'Rubenesque' foot. The type of shoe you've selected won't be the most comfortable for you. I think this other style would feel much better."
Being the sceptic that I am, I looked at the price of her suggested shoes to see how much she was upselling me. Same price. Hmm. With nothing to lose, I tried on the style she suggested, and they were extremely comfortable. I must admit: they are the most comfortable pair of casual shoes I've ever owned.
As I paid for the shoes, the salesperson continued to wow me. She said, "If you ever buy a pair of shoes somewhere else be sure to tell the salesperson that the arches in your foot have fallen a little, and you need shoes with some arch support -- like these."
When I get good service like this, I want to keep it going. I asked her if there is a Walking Company in Orlando, where I live. "Absolutely, it's at the Millennium Mall." Since then I've bought two pairs of dress shoes at the Orlando Walking Company, again with great service. I can't imagine buying shoes anywhere else. And I've sent plenty of friends there."
Now, let's look at what this salesperson did that made this a great shopping experience. I'll analyse the details in a moment, but one word sums up her style -- professional. This lady was a professional in every sense of the word. Her skills would apply anywhere, as applicable in a bank, hospital, theme park, or law office as they are in a shoe store.
Here are four universal traits of a professional in any job position:
Professionals are responsive: When I entered the store, the salesperson made immediate eye contact with me. It was sincere eye contact that said she cared that I was there. And as soon as she was finished with her customer she came right over to help me and apologised for the wait. The store was busy. But I noticed that everyone was being helped. The salespeople had mastered the art of handling more than one customer at a time while making each customer feel like he/she was the only one. None of the salespeople looked frantic, just responsive.
Professionals are knowledgeable: This salesperson knew about shoes. On the other hand, I know very little about shoes. Seeing that this was the case, she took charge of the situation and made sure that I was getting shoes that were right for me. I benefited from her knowledge. There is an art to sharing knowledge, I admit. Some customers may say, "I know what I want. Just get it for me." By briefly talking to me, however, she realised she could make a recommendation for me, that I was flexible. Professionals read the situation and adapt to the personality and needs of the customer. Of course, all of this means knowing your product. Professionals are constantly learning about their products and their customers. The only way that the Walking Company salesperson could steer me to the right pair of shoes was by knowing shoes and feet. Professionals know their stuff.
Professionals care about what they do: My Walking Company salesperson could have easily brought me the pair of shoes I originally asked for. But she wasn't selling shoes -- she was selling the right shoes . That's the difference. Professionals aren't happy just selling a product. They want it to be the right product for the customer.
Professionals teach you something: I left the Walking Company knowing more than when I walked in. I now know to ask for extra arch support in my shoes. Not a big deal, but I will always remember that advice.Think of some of your best service experiences: the waiter who made the perfect recommendation, the computer help desk that gave you a tip on how to make an application more effective, or the clothing store employee who helped you coordinate colours. In most cases of outstanding service, the employee left you more knowledgeable than when he/she found you. The new information might not change your life (though it could), but it does make your life a tad better.
Professional behaviours are simple. What's not simple is the consistent application of them. Being a true professional takes thought and effort. But, once you are truly professional you can go just about anywhere.The skills are universal, and they are rare. True professionals stand out from the crowd and grow rewarding and satisfying careers. And the customers of the world know when one is at work.
(Dennis Snow is the president of Snow & Associates, Inc. He worked with the Walt Disney World Company for 20 years and now consults with organisations around the world helping them achieve their customer service goals. He is the author of the book, Unleashing Excellence -- The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service)
Professionalism = more than just doing your job -Dennis Snow
"I don't like to shop. Clothes shopping, grocery shopping, car shopping; it doesn't matter -- I don't like it. I want to get in, get what I want (fast), and get out. A recent shopping experience, however, was a pleasant surprise.
This experience showcased customer service at its best, and at its most simple. Once again I was reminded that great service isn't about grand acts, it is about common courtesy, artfully delivered.
While on vacation in Chicago, I needed to buy a pair of casual shoes (I had forgotten mine). I found myself in a store called the Walking Company. A friend once told me it was a good store. It was crowded, so I almost left. But one of the salespeople made eye contact with me. It wasn't the kind of eye contact that said, "Oh no, another customer." Instead, it was eye contact that said, "I'll be right with you." It was good eye contact.
So I browsed around for a few minutes and found a pair of shoes I liked. Sure enough, the salesperson came up and said, "Sorry about the wait, let's get you some shoes." I showed her the pair I wanted and asked to try size 10. She said, "Let's measure your foot just to make sure." I know I wear size 10, but her whole demeanour showed that she wanted to make sure I got the right shoes.
She measured my foot and said, "Size 10 is right, but you have a very 'Rubenesque' foot. The type of shoe you've selected won't be the most comfortable for you. I think this other style would feel much better."
Being the sceptic that I am, I looked at the price of her suggested shoes to see how much she was upselling me. Same price. Hmm. With nothing to lose, I tried on the style she suggested, and they were extremely comfortable. I must admit: they are the most comfortable pair of casual shoes I've ever owned.
As I paid for the shoes, the salesperson continued to wow me. She said, "If you ever buy a pair of shoes somewhere else be sure to tell the salesperson that the arches in your foot have fallen a little, and you need shoes with some arch support -- like these."
When I get good service like this, I want to keep it going. I asked her if there is a Walking Company in Orlando, where I live. "Absolutely, it's at the Millennium Mall." Since then I've bought two pairs of dress shoes at the Orlando Walking Company, again with great service. I can't imagine buying shoes anywhere else. And I've sent plenty of friends there."
Now, let's look at what this salesperson did that made this a great shopping experience. I'll analyse the details in a moment, but one word sums up her style -- professional. This lady was a professional in every sense of the word. Her skills would apply anywhere, as applicable in a bank, hospital, theme park, or law office as they are in a shoe store.
Here are four universal traits of a professional in any job position:
Professionals are responsive: When I entered the store, the salesperson made immediate eye contact with me. It was sincere eye contact that said she cared that I was there. And as soon as she was finished with her customer she came right over to help me and apologised for the wait. The store was busy. But I noticed that everyone was being helped. The salespeople had mastered the art of handling more than one customer at a time while making each customer feel like he/she was the only one. None of the salespeople looked frantic, just responsive.
Professionals are knowledgeable: This salesperson knew about shoes. On the other hand, I know very little about shoes. Seeing that this was the case, she took charge of the situation and made sure that I was getting shoes that were right for me. I benefited from her knowledge. There is an art to sharing knowledge, I admit. Some customers may say, "I know what I want. Just get it for me." By briefly talking to me, however, she realised she could make a recommendation for me, that I was flexible. Professionals read the situation and adapt to the personality and needs of the customer. Of course, all of this means knowing your product. Professionals are constantly learning about their products and their customers. The only way that the Walking Company salesperson could steer me to the right pair of shoes was by knowing shoes and feet. Professionals know their stuff.
Professionals care about what they do: My Walking Company salesperson could have easily brought me the pair of shoes I originally asked for. But she wasn't selling shoes -- she was selling the right shoes . That's the difference. Professionals aren't happy just selling a product. They want it to be the right product for the customer.
Professionals teach you something: I left the Walking Company knowing more than when I walked in. I now know to ask for extra arch support in my shoes. Not a big deal, but I will always remember that advice.Think of some of your best service experiences: the waiter who made the perfect recommendation, the computer help desk that gave you a tip on how to make an application more effective, or the clothing store employee who helped you coordinate colours. In most cases of outstanding service, the employee left you more knowledgeable than when he/she found you. The new information might not change your life (though it could), but it does make your life a tad better.
Professional behaviours are simple. What's not simple is the consistent application of them. Being a true professional takes thought and effort. But, once you are truly professional you can go just about anywhere.The skills are universal, and they are rare. True professionals stand out from the crowd and grow rewarding and satisfying careers. And the customers of the world know when one is at work.
(Dennis Snow is the president of Snow & Associates, Inc. He worked with the Walt Disney World Company for 20 years and now consults with organisations around the world helping them achieve their customer service goals. He is the author of the book, Unleashing Excellence -- The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service)
One need not confine the philosophy of making the other person a little more knowledgable to a Sales interaction alone. If we can extend this to each and every single interaction in our life, it will make life more meaningful apart from leaving a lasting impression on the other persons mind. I try to do that. Why don't you too?
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