To my Team Leads...

The last couple of months have been quite hectic at work. There were lots of things to be done, but as usual, less time to get it done. No one realized the enormity of the task at hand, until it hit us straight in the face. But there seemed to be hope. Hope created by two individuals I work with. These individuals are my team leaders. Such is there dedication to work, they seemed to make it all possible. Both of them were concerned about the team members all the time. Concerned because they didn't want us to burn ourselves out. They constantly reminded us that work is work and there is family and life after work too. Such was their understanding, it made all of us work for them rather than the project.
People like them are hard to find these days. I've seen a lot of so called, self-proclaimed team leaders during my career and none of them were like these guys. They were all self-centered, egoistic and stupid to say the least. But these two gentlemen are amazing. They go about their task with their feet firmly on the ground. If I ever get a chance to be a leader, I will definitely try to be like them. Open minded, unbiased and never prejudiced.
These are essential qualities to be a great leader. I wish that they go on to be great leaders and serve their colleagues well. I am really proud to be associated with such wonderful people.
I salute thy leadership!!!

It's a whole new feeling...

This past week has been different. Quite different from the others I have experienced all my life. I had a heart to heart talk with the woman I adore the most. I don't know how I managed to do it, but I did it. I opened my heart and soul to her and she was kind and understanding, enough to let me be myself when I expressed my thoughts. I feel great. I am not excited for what happened to me, but rather I am excited about someone loving me. Someone whom I never knew before, has some love for me. It feels incredible!!!
I say to people, that love should have no rules. Love should be unconditional. If you love someone, love them with all your heart.

Decisions!!!

A beautiful day in Dallas, TX. Temperature hovering at 30 F, chilly winds and no sunshine. It appears like a romantic climate to me. Was glancing through my patio and realised that there are some decisions to be taken in my life. Decisions!!! This has become a cliche. People talk about decisions taken in the right spirit, decisions that went wrong, decisions that should not have been taken etc. Where does the buck stop?
When I was in India, I used to wonder why things never happened. Things such as laying out roads properly, building the necessary infrastructure for every day life and so on. I realised that people responsible for making those decisions where not responsible enough. They took such a long time to take a decision, by the time they take it, the need is outgrown or outrun by time. Then it becomes a poor decision anyway.
Decisions are meant to be taken promptly and with an educated guess. We will never know if a decision taken is right or wrong only if we fail to take it. Otherwise, it is as good as not thinking about it at all. This is the reason I hate elderly politicians. They have loads of experience, but they never exercise their experience at the right time. They are so stupid. The same applies to people in other career levels too.
The bottomline, decisions are meant to be taken when necessary.

Your time will come.

I was on the road today to drop off my friend at an auto shop. I needed to take a turn to reach the auto shop and was wondering, if I would ever get to cut through the traffic and make the turn. But after a few moments, the traffic eased and I was able to take the turn. On my way back, I was startled when I realised that it was a fact I ignored all together. Your time will come.
Many of us do not have the patience to wait for right time. I know it is hard to predict the right time, but your instincts and gut feeling will tell you when the time arrives. It will happen when there is a deep desire for something you need. I do believe in fate and destiny. But I will also advocate that you should not be content with what you have, but strive to better yourself.
There is an adage which says 'Every dog has it's day". There is a time for everyone, if they realize themselves, they will shine like none other. So wake up to the realization that you will shine and perform everyday. There is a time for everyone!!!

Compliments...

After a tiring day's work, I went to sip some coffee with my friend. Was having a discussion on complimenting people. I was of the opinion that more the compliments I give, less valued it will be. The reason behind my theory was that people will take it for granted that I will compliment them anyway. When I said this to my friend, I was amazed at the perspective that was thrown back.
According to that perspective, the more you compliment, the more you encourage people. The more you encourage, the better they become. But there is a disclaimer here. Never overdo it. It was interesting to get a different line of thought and I believe I will take that route from here on.

A reality check

Starting off my day with a post about something which made me take a deep breath and think. Last evening I and my colleague were engrossed in finding a solution to a problem. We figured that it didn't work in my colleague's machine and decided to try it on mine. But to my surprise, it didn't work on my machine as well. I got frustrated, because I wanted to help my colleague so that we could go home happy. Then I remarked, "If this is not solved, then I won't be able to sleep tonight". Pat came the reply, "If you can't take it, then you shouldn't be here".
I was initially stunned by the remark. I felt a bit ridiculed to be honest. More than the issue not being resolved, I left with the feeling that someone told me something which I didn't like. Later that night, I was in my bed wondering about it. Then I realized, it is the truth. Truth is always bitter!!! So I tried to find out what was it that I could improve upon. I found the answer. Simple, take it easy. I took the problem to my heart and it didn't help. So I need to ease off and take a breath and get back at solving the problem in hand.
It was a reality check for me. I never thought that someone would say that to me. But I am glad that my colleague and my good friend did. I would like to thank and appreciate my friend for being honest and forthcoming in those remarks. I wish I hear from you all the time!!!

Felt my oldself today

Today was the kind of day that you might call perfect. In many ways I enjoyed the day, even though I was stressed. I enjoyed it because I was able to help my colleagues with something they wanted. This is exactly what I want to do at work and in my personal life too. I want to be remembered as someone who inspired people. I may not be here forever, but I want my name to reverberate for as long as it can.
There was something else that became apparent to me. Over the past few days, I was feeling troubled. Troubled because I was unable to find a solution to a problem and that was hovering over my head even after I left the workplace. Thankfully the issue got resolved and all of us were happy. All is well when it ends well. But the point to drive home is that I got to realize that your true character is vivid when you are tested. Your true nature comes out when your back is against the wall. So, I knew from that experience, I wasn't strong enough as I would've liked. Got to improve!!!

Staying on the ground

Got inspired by what I read today. A friend of mine sent me an email which detailed a story about a U.S. Navy fighter pilot. This fighter pilot had flown many successful missions, but was shot down during an operation. He bailed out of the aircraft and landed in an enemy territory. He was tortured, brutalised and finally released to return to his homeland. One day he met a person at a restaurant who had saved his life during that tragic accident. It was none other than the person who folded his parachute before he left for the mission that eventful day. If that parachute hadn't opened, he would've been dead by now. But he realised a fact that most of us ignore. He may have walked by the the person who folded his parachute many times, but he never took a moment to wish him.
I've seen many people at the workplace do the same. We never say "Hello" to someone, simply because either we don't know them or we think they are less in calibre. The truth is, as the story stated above, the person who we never greet could be someone who is doing something important for us. Remember, you can be the most important person around at your workplace, but when you step outside, you are as normal a human being as anyone else. There are no CEO's or CFO's in the world outside.
Be an inspiration to someone. Show the way to people who need to be shown a path.

Thank you...Robin Sharma

I thank Robin Sharma (http://www.robinsharma.com) for making be think differently. I got inspired by what he had to say about life in general and leadership in particular. I have definitely taken a cue from him. To look at things that happen around me and get inspired. Get inspired and translate that inspiration into something useful. Doing something useful by sharing my thoughts with friends, who are around me and with other people over the internet through my blog.
Thank you Robin!!!

Reaching out...

I was at the salon yesterday to rearrange my hair :-). Had to wait for some time, so I picked up the magazine of U.S. News & Reports. While flipping through the pages, I came across an article on the California wildfires. It talked about the measures taken by the Governor of California to reach out to people. The Governor was talking about the importance of "hands on" approach in an emergency situation. He wanted to be there in the time of need, he wanted to reach out and people that he understands the pain.
If I can take this a step further, I would say that "reaching out" should be a constant act. It should be a process. "Prevention is better than cure". Cure is always expensive and a bitter pill to swallow. The same holds true in our work environment too. A good leader should be in constant touch with this people. If there is a good vibe between the leader and his colleagues, a problem can be spotted even before it appears and measures can be taken to extinguish it.

Letting it go.

I wanted to post my thoughts on this for quite some time. Just couldn't muster enough energy to pen it down. Most of us are possessive in a way. I am possessive. I like to hold on to things I like. Things as inconsequential as my pen, my pillow etc. I just wouldn't share them with anyone. Mind you, I'm not talking about possessiveness in a negative sense here. It's just the feeling you have towards things you like.
One fine day I realized, what am I going to take when I leave this material world. None!!! Not even the dress that I wear will accompany me. I felt bad about it. We work hard and save money. But we do not enjoy the simple pleasures of life. These pleasures may be as simple as making a person happy or helping someone in need. Inspite of knowing this, why wouldn't we let it go.
I always believe in helping people. Help them to help themselves is my mantra. Hence I wanted to give the gift of education to someone in need. I found that there are organizations such as "Ashanet", who help people to achieve their goals through education. All they needed was people who can donate money which in turn can be used to provide education to children. It could be as low as $20 a month. I wanted to do it, but here I am, yet to get started. This is what I meant by letting it go.
I have some money today, but I need to share it with people who can't even think about having half a meal tomorrow. I need to adjust my mindset to tell myself to share what I have with other people in need. It is difficult, but not impossible.
You don't own yourself, what else can you own in this world.

Something about love...

When I think about Love, the first question that pops up in my head, "Does true love exist?". My guess is that it partially is and partially isn't. Why do I think so? True love does exist in a few hearts. The hearts are those of our parents. Especially our moms. From the moment a child is born, the child is the sole object of concern to a mom. Everything else is secondary. So true is the love, it alone can nourish you all your life. By no means do I say that fathers love their children less. But the love of a mother cannot be expressed in words, even by herself.
Then there is love between a man and a woman. A very complex feeling to describe. No one ever knows what transpires between a man and a woman to bring them close enough to love each other. One of the reason could be attraction. Most of the time people get attracted to each other because of curiosity. When you don't know or understand something, you want to have it even more. That's human nature. But once curiosity wades, neglect creeps in. This is what I find really strange.
For instance, people fall in love for reasons best known to them. Initially they talk a lot and then they lose interest in each other when they know all about them. Not a good sign for the future. The reason that this happens is because there is a lack of understanding about each other. Always the positive side is shown and once the negative aspects are revealed, they distance themselves.
So for love to succeed, there needs to be understanding at many different levels before committing to a relationship. You should be able to forgive each other. You should be able to look at the other persons face and still see the same joy ten years from now. Ask yourself this question. "Will I be able to look at his/her eyes and say, I love you, for as long as he/she lives?. If so, then you are on the right track.

The art of interviewing people

I long had a dream of becoming a good interviewer. Not sure whether I have become one. But I have understood the nuances of interviewing people. Below are a few do's and dont's an interviewer could observe when conducting the interview. This list has been compiled based on my personal experience.

Prerequisites to conducting a professional interview:
1. The person(s) who is(are) supposed to conduct the interview should be well dressed.

• This gives the impression that you are interested in the candidate. The negative effect of not being in proper attire is that the interviewee will believe that you either are not interested in him/her or you don't know what you are talking about.

2. The place where the interview takes place should be well lit.

• This makes the candidate feel comfortable and he might be able to perform better.

3. Review the resume in advance.

• It is of utmost importance that you review the candidate's resume well in advance. Generally it takes time to understand and comprehend the information provided in a resume. You must peruse the resume diligently and understand what the candidate has done and will he/she be a best fit for your organization. You might get pre-screened resumes all the time, but that shouldn't stop you from reading the resume thoroughly.

DO:

1. Welcome the candidate.

• Greet the person whom you are going to interview. Tell them your name and request them to be seated. I mentioned the word request here, because the candidate is like a guest and we need to treat them well.

2. Make eye contact

• You can judge the person by making an eye contact. If the candidate is shy or non-committal, you will know it immediately.

3. Give them time to talk

• You should ask the candidate to tell about themselves. They can talk about anything they want the interviewer to know. This will help you guage their communication skills.

4. Ask them about their experience

• Ask them questions regarding their current and previous jobs. This will ascertain whether they faked something in their resume.

5. Make the candidate feel comfortable

• It is the interviewers responsibility to make the candidate feel at home. You should speak softly initially, so as to make the candidate feel welcome to the organization.

6. Ask the candidate what they know

• It is possible sometimes that the candidate misquoted something in the resume. Always ask them, if they know about a topic and then raise a question. If they are unable to answer that question, then move on. Don't harp on the same topic.

7. Body language

• Your body language should suggest that you are an enthusiastic person. You should be able to communicate better with the candidate

8. Proper feedback

• It is imperative that you write your feedback immediately after the interview is over. Never postpone doing it as you might forget some of the facts you had in your mind.

DONT:

1. Don't threaten the candidate

• When asking questions, speak to them in a mild voice. We are trying to evaluate the candidate, not to deride them.

2. Its not interviewer Vs candidate

• I've often seen the interviewer getting into an argument with the candidate. Never do that. The interviewer is not there to prove he is better than the person sitting on the other side of the table.

3. Do not read the resume in front of the candidate

• It goes without saying. If you start reading the resume in front of the candidate and then ask questions, then you are telling the candidate that you came to the interview unprepared.

4. Don't take notes

• It is not good to take notes about the candidate in front of him/her. Make an entry in your memory and write it down in your feedback.

5. Do not take back to back interviews

• The interviewer needs some rest to recharge his batteries. It is good to have atleast a half hour gap between interviews. Do not do too many interviews in a day. You will feel sick of it the next day.

Physics & Philosophy

Physics is called the science of approximation and Philosophy according to me, is a measure of approximation. Philosophy puts things to perspective. So I felt it might be interesting to find out the correlation in them. Let's find out whether I got it right.

Newtons First law of motion:
Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.
- Let's replace "object" with "person", "uniform motion" with "comfort" and "external force" with "inspiration".
Every person in a state of comfort tends to remain in that state of comfort unless inspired to do something different.
Isn't it true. This is the difference between achievers and others. People who desire greatness inspire and motivate themselves. Others don't. Even though I write such wonderful things, I am still searching for something inspirational, to do the one thing I want to do in my life. What a waste!!!

Newtons second law of motion:
The relationship between an object's mass, it's acceleration, and the applied force is Force = mass times acceleration.
F = M * A
The force can be taken as a burning desire to achieve a goal. The mass is the realization of the goal and the acceleration is the persistant concentration of one's thoughts towards the achievement of that goal.
(Above is a comment from a very good friend of mine. I couldn't have worded it better. Hence I put in her statement. Thanks Niti).

Newtons third law of motion:
Every action has an equal an opposite reaction.
Every good deed is rewarded. Knowledge shared is knowledge gained. The more you let it go, the more it comes to you. The more you think good, the more you look good. Each of these phrases has something given and returned.

Just a thought...

I was given this book called "Creative Visualization" by a friend to read. I just went through a couple pages and I was impressed. Impressed with the way the author stated a few things.
1. Though she wrote the book, she calls herself not an expert rather a student, who is still honing her skills. That is humility for you.
2. She has a burning desire within, which led her to share the knowledge. It says that knowledge should be shared which leads to better understanding.
3. She also mentions the fact that you need to take things slowly. It takes time for things to sink in. In this world where things happen fast and furious, this is a massive thought.
4. She wrote the book, because she wanted to share what she learn't, which helped her live better. Such a noble thought.This is the most important point to me.
Once a colleague of mine saw a book on my desk and asked me what can I get from reading that book. He was of the opinion that books don't do much and its a waste of time and money. I didn't know whether he meant what he said, but the first question that came to my mind was, "How the heck did you even get out of school?". If those authors decided not to share their knowledge, you wouldn't be where you are. Knowledge should be shared.You will gain more when you share.

Team...Team...Team...

Watching India win the cricket series in England was heartening. It's been a long time since India won a series there and it was an incredible feeling to see them do it. Amidst all the joy and happiness that has gripped the people back home and the viewing public in England, I was wondering how did India manage to win without a coach? It is a general feeling that every team (be it cricket or any other sport), needs a coach. But India proved that theory, wrong. How did they do it?
I believe that the Indian cricket team believed in themselves. They believed that each one of them could assist or help each other and each one of them could contribute meaningfully. It is the attitude that shapes you. They had the right mindset to upset the favorites there and that is what they did. Congratulations to the Indian cricket team and their support staff.
The point to drive home is about being part of a team and team effort. Many of us are brilliant when we work alone. But when we are thrust into a team, we fail, miserably. Sometimes it's the attitude, sometimes it's ego etc. If we are able to overcome these deficiencies, then we are on track to achieve what the Indian cricket team did today. Do not rest on your laurels, because human memory is volatile!!!
Rise above thyself, for then shall you see GOD...

Open your mind

One of the most difficult things to do, is to have an open mind about everything. What I mean is about not having preconceived notions or opinions about anything. When I was in my teens, I used to have preconceived opinions all the time. I used to have opinions about things which I never tried, never seen or never experienced before.

Most of us have these preconceived opinions. Even before we do something, we might say, I don't want to do that. I don't like that. It is not up to the mark. It's not my taste. All these negative thoughts hinder us from taking a look at what the truth is. My brother-in-law used to ask me to go out with him to some place, but I being a lazy soul, said that I wouldn't like the place. Mind you, I said "I wouldn't like the place", because I had never been there before. But when I was forced to go with him, I saw that the place was more enchanting that it sounded to be.

The point I want to drive home - relieve yourself of preconceived opinions and take a fresh look at things all the time. Things you see today, might seem different tomorrow. Never hesitate to see from a different perspective.

Belief takes you there

I was watching this film, "Dragonfly". A story about a couple, who are doctors. The wife is as much a social worker as she is a doctor. She goes to Venezuela to treat the kids in the jungle and in a mishap she dies. Tragic, isn't it. But somehow her husband is made to believe, by some events, that she is still alive and trying to communicate with him. Certain events occur in his life, that lead him to the place where the tribal people live in the Venezuelan jungle. When he asked the people there about his wife, they tell him that they were unable to save her body, but they saved her soul. They take him to a small hut and in there in a cradle was his child, lying there safe and sound. His wife was pregnant before she died.
What does this tell us? It's hard to believe in miracles these days. But somethings happen around us, knowingly or otherwise, which helps us all the time. Belief and hope and the key to life and happiness. We believe that we will have a good day everyday. We believe that we will be able to do certain things. We believe that we will be able to provide good care to our family. Whether things happen according to our belief is one thing, but we do believe. Why do we?
I keep asking this question to myself. What is this belief all about. To some people, seeing is believing, to others it might be something else. But we do believe, dont we?.
So lets start to believe that we will be better tomorrow than what we are today. Lets make the environment around us better!!! Give it a thought.

I don't care...

An interesting line to start with. Isn't it? What does this phrase "I don't care..." mean to you? I tried to find out why and when do people use this phrase. Recently I was preparing a document for a colleague, who wanted some information in a certain way. I did add the information as specified and sent him the document. After some time I went to him and asked "Is the information OK? Is this the layout that you had in mind?". The reply was "I don't care". Pretty blunt reply, wasn't it? But I took in my stride and said "I'll take that as a yes from you".

Was my colleague intentionally provoking me? Did he want to start an argument with me? Probably not. His intention was that the information represented in the document did not matter to him because he asked me to prepare document on behalf of someone. That is what he tried to imply. I understood what he meant. But someone who maybe working with him for the first time will not. So what could've been a nice way to have expressed what he had in mind. Could he have said, "I liked what you did. Thats exactly what I was looking for." Or "I had something like this in my mind. What you did is close enough, but it requires some changes. Can you do that for me?". How encouraging are these statements. Wouldn't you go back and change the document immediately for him. Wouldn't you feel happy about doing the document for him.

You can argue saying that I am emotional and should not read in between words or lines. But that is not the point. To be as good as we want to be, we should learn to express ourselves in a more polite manner. Isn't humility a great virtue? Do you need to show yourself as a nonchalant person who doesn't give a damn about anything? Then believe me that you will never be a good person or a good leader. A leader should acknowledge what someone has done and should be humble himself. Only then will others hold you as an example and follow you.

Think about it. Don't take what I said. Validate it. If you find truth in it, then take it.

Quotes that inspire

"There's nothing really difficult if you only begin - some people contemplate a task until it looms so big, it seems impossible, but I just begin and it gets done somehow. There would be no coral islands if the first bug sat down and began to wonder how the job was to be done." - John Shaw Billings (1838-1913)

With big gifts come great responsibilities. You have a duty to shine. - Robin Sharma

Find the purpose and the means will follow - Mahatma Gandhi

Nothing can defeat you, unless you defeat yourself - Robin Sharma

Listen to understand and then speak to be understood - Unknown

Be a Leader not a Boss - My father

Do the thing you fear to do and just keep on doing it. That is the quickest and surest way ever discovered to conquer fear - Dale Carnegie

Never miss an opportunity to help another human being. You may never get that chance again - Robin Sharma

The humble improve - Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis

Business isn't about wearing suits or pleasing stockholders. It's about being true to yourself, your ideas and focusing on the essentials. - Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin

You can't win, if you don't try - Robin Sharma

Make a list of your dreams - From dove chocolates

There's a time for compromise...it's called "later" - From dove chocolates

Smile before bed. You'll sleep better. - From dove chocolates

Sometimes one smile means more than a dozen roses. - From dove chocolates

Decorate your life. - From dove chocolates

Test your own limits and keep going. - From dove chocolates

Lead without Title

I borrowed the title from a well known author/philosopher Robin S. Sharma. Though this phrase is very simple to read and understand, it has a profound meaning. All of us here realize and recognize great leaders. But we seldom question why they have come to be called that way. We read their books, but fail to analyze the process or the work done which had got them to their righteous place. We idolize them, but fail to follow their values. We speak eloquently about them, but miss the point that they have done something good and we are yet to do any. Why? In this short message, I will try to find the answer, along with you.

When I started reading the books of Robin Sharma, it struck a chord with me. I wasn’t able to find out the reason for it at that time, but I realized it later. Every great leader or philosopher has a way of influencing you. If you find truth in what is said or written, you take to it immediately. Our mind is primed in such a way that only necessary information that we want enters and stays there. Everything else is volatile.

So, how does a normal person become a noteworthy personality? How is he/she different from all of us? The answer is, they aren’t. They aren’t different physically or anatomically, but they are very different mentally. I’m not implying that they are all insane people, but they are achievers in every sense of the word. They have a dream which is nurtured into a vision and that vision is fuelled by their ambition. Ambition to start something, sustain it and get big.

All of us have these qualities within. But first we need to understand what we are capable of. Good leaders know what they are capable of. They understand and recognize that the best possible way to make people work for them is to make them buy into their vision. How do they go about doing it? How can they make people understand what they want? Simple, they connect.

We all watch a great deal of movies - comedy, thriller, action and emotional films. But when is a movie a hit? The obvious fact is that the movie should set the cash registers ringing. Otherwise the pundits will call it a drab; others will call it a flop. But the less obvious question is how the cash registers roll in. Some people watch the movie many times. Others play it in their minds many times. But the fact remains that we love seeing the movie. Why? The person who made the movie was able to connect with the audience. He/She was able to make them laugh, cry or even made them feel like heroes during the course of the movie. Most of all he made you buy into the theme of his/her film. This is exactly what good and more importantly great leaders do.

How do you connect? Pick a wire, wind one side on your head and the other to whom you want to connect. Try this and come back when you’re done!!! A bit of humor, I suppose. We generally hear people say, that leaders are made, not born. It’s a craft which is nurtured over time by practice. Similarly, to connect to the audience, is an art which needs practice. You may not get it right the first time, but you will indeed when you make it a habit.

To connect to a person, you need to articulate well. There is an adage which says, “Listen to understand and then speak to be understood”. You need to understand what people want and then tell them how they can attain their dreams by working towards your vision. This is easily said than done. But nothing in this world is easy. Otherwise all of us would’ve been noteworthy personalities by now. But the beauty is to try and succeed.

A title need not be given to you in order to lead. Take the mantle, and gallop in the direction of your vision. Leading does not mean that we need to assign daily tasks to your colleagues. It might be as simple as helping someone in the time of distress. You show the path to success. All the more, you have a responsibility to shine.

I hope that this short message might have a positive influence on the way you think and act. It is just a starter before a great meal. Read the books of people whom you like and their greatness will rub off on you.