Usha Didi

There are inspiring stories around us. Do we even notice? The learnings from these, if we bother to understand, are quite profound. I think we are basically lazy as we want these stories to come to us. The person has to be famous for us to believe the story & get inspired.

Look around for an inspiration you will have one. I did recently. I must admit though that I was also lazy all these past 25 years.

My great learning got revisited when I met “Usha Didi” few days back at my parents place. My earliest memories of Usha Didi is when I was just 12-13 year old in Meerut, a small, sleepy (then) town in Western UP. I was too young to understand then. Later I left the city when I was 20 and hence was not privy to developments in her family & life.

Usha Didi is an illiterate lady, who had to fend for her 4 kids and a disinterested husband. The kids were all less than 5-6 years age. In the last 25-30 years, she has raised them, educated them, married them off and now lives independently a retired life with her two sons who live next door to her.

You must be wondering what is so unique in this. Let me share.

Usha Didi lived and survived by being a domestic help in houses in the vicinity including mine. She used to mop floors and clean utensils for a living. She ran her household on the meager amount. She has raised her two sons who have now grown to be business person working together. Both her daughters are educated, married , working and doing very well.

I met her few days back. Rather she came to meet me when she heard I am there. Smiling. I noticed now in that old face were two eyes “twinkling”. No worries look & fit as ever. Amazing self esteem. Pride in her children’s progress when she shared all what is happening in her children’s life.

I as ked her on how does it feel after all these years of hard, manual work. She only said I only wanted my children to have a better life than me. I have been able to do that. That makes it worth-while.

Who was her source of inspiration? Did she read books on positive thinking? Who told her about responsible parenting? How did she guide her children? She could not afford TV.
Being illiterate no reading of books, magazines and self help articles.

So I reflected on my way back from Meerut to Hyderabad – a good 6 hours of road and air travel. I recalled some incidents & carefully analysed various random incidents she shared and have to come to some conclusions. That is when I decided to write this blog.

She had aspirations. Aspirations were the motivation for her. Better Life.
She was realistic. Influenced her son to marry a working girl.
She was also good to spot talent. Got great Grooms for both her daughters.
She knew importance of networking. She is still in touch with families where she worked.
She read the environment. Knew importance of education.
She encouraged her kids to feel equal to anybody. The kids have grown up with lot of self esteem and confidence.
There are millions of stories and people around us which we tend to overlook. Because of what? Our learning disability.
Usha Didi is still smiling without knowing that her life has inspired this blog.
Usha Didi still cannot read.
She will never read this article. Perhaps one day when I meet her next I will explain to her what I wrote and why I wrote it.
Do you think she will understand. You guessed it right.

Do not Fight Pigs - You'll Lose Anyway

How many of you have been at the vicious end of political manipulations in the course of your professional life. I am sure most of us. How have we handled them ?.

I have been at the receiving end on probably more than one occasion. Frankly I remember only one. Other perhaps were too insignificant that they are completely erased from my memory.

It is very interesting that, in 1998-99 while working in a PSU, when I was subjected to political manipulations of some seniors & co workers, I experienced gamut of emotions. I was livid and with a vengeance was contemplating taking them on with a viciousness. It was providence that during this time, I was asked to attend a program by Shiv Khera “Blue print for success” in Oct 99 at Delhi. While the overall program was “Feel good” one thing made a lot of sense to me, probably due to the situation I was living and going through.

He stated “Do not fight pigs”. When you fight them you go down in dirt and filth and even if you physically win over them you have been laid low and dirtied. That is precisely the intention of the “Pigs”.get you down in the Filth they relish so much.

I came back a changed manfrom the program. I promised to myself that “I will never fight pigs”. I have not done so till date. I have been tempted though. I have dealt with them, not fought them.

This lesson has proved once again that persistence & values in life are important. The gentlemen, who started a vicious campaign against me, had the gall to seek certain professional help from me in 2003 when he was at the receiving end of a vicious political vendetta in the organization. By that time I was in another organization. I unconditionally provided him the required help. He did acknowledge at the end of it that he was probably wrong and was fooled by others in 98-99 to do what he did.

When he did apologize in a manner he did, I had already forgotten it. But I remember it today to be able to say Thank You Shiv for that lesson. I am happy to be not fighting Pigs. I can’t avoid them though. I know however how to deal with them. Don’t fight them. They will lose.

Beware of Bias

Well the question that I posed in the last blog - I have a solution. Solution that requires people working in these organizations to look at and implement.

Generally we are all are likely to go with what worked in the past very well and we are led further astray if that past outcome has worked out successfully by any chnace. It stays in our brain then for next 10 years. Me Ernest H Foreman Co - author of Decisions by Objectices calls it " anchoring bias". It is an unbelievably powerful influence that can impair your decision making process. Sounds familiar. It does. To me atleast.

The only way to counter it would be to look for disconfirming evidence. The first precedent that comes to mind is often nearer in time to the current decision than it is closer in similarity. get past the recentness bias by coming up with atleast two events from the more distant past that seem any way applicable , then try to make them work better. Phew !

Heavy stuff. But worth considering in terms of changing our thinking. It applies to all situations including those at personal, family front.

Bye.

Great Organizations Change

Why must change be changed. - because it is risky.

In revival of the fittest : why good companies go bad and how great managers remake them ( HBS Press 2003) Donald sull suggests that embracing change is not a norm at established companies in traditional lines of business. For most executives the primary dilemma is not resisting temptation to change but breaking free of the old business strategies that have worked so well in the past but are no longer effective.

He has used the term "active inertia" for firms that respond to competitive threats by doing more of the things that have worked previously even though the environment has changed.

I am sure some readers here can relate to it , having seen it around them in their organizations. Pretty Risky.

How do you influence these executives to Change?. How do we persuade them?

Great Guy Yuvraj Singh

These days I am thinking hard about past events and situations. Don't know why?.Does it happen at my age 44?. Don't Know.

Nevertheless I am reminded of 1997-98 . It was early winter in chandigarh. My team had organized a dinner event with entire franchisee staff at one of the local gas stations. The Franchise owner with family was there too. I got chatting with the elder son of franchisee.

I was amazed by what I heard. This guy used to practice cricket everyday for almost 8 hours. Totally married to cricket. In fact he was still wearing his practice gear when he walked in for dinner. 8 Hours of net practice and fitness sessions were in addition to regular cricket matches that he would play during the day for various local clubs who would invite him. He had a great reputation to hit sixes , I was told by his beaming father. That was the reason every club wanted him to play for them. Tall , lanky, awkard 16-17 year old, mama's boy - a kid with very few words to say himself. He perhaps only knew one thing that it is his bat which will do the talking in future. That is exactly what happened later - 2 years thereafter.

The Kid arrived on the scene and got noticed as Yuvraj Singh.

I was sharing this story with my son who is appearing for 10th Board exam in 2010. He is quite focussed but at the same time very distracted.

For my son, it was another story. Johny Depp in POC , Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan of Rush Hour seem more real to him.

How does one build passion and commitment in the child ?. Is it something you are born with ? Are role models important for kids ?

Great Organizations- Stay Simple, Logical & Transparent

This is continuation of my last blog. After I wrote the last blog , I kept thinking of something that I know about other organizations which is worth sharing with readers.

I was reminded of probably 2002 0r 2003 , I was taking a flight from Delhi to Mumbai. As my vehicle approached the Delhi Airport, I saw Mr Narain Murthy getting down from a car ( not mercedes ). I saw him getting off , picking his small bag and walked in to the airport .Alone. No Chaperones. No security. Contrast this with CMD of a Major Banking company whom I incidentally saw in the morning at Bombay Airport who was escorted by two individuals from airport lounge till aircraft seat who left after depositing him in the seat and keeping his bags.

Nevertheless coming back to Mr Narain Murthy.

As luck would have it, I again noticed , je was in front of me in Jet economy Flight queue for Check in. Intrigued, I introduced myself and initiated a conversation with him. I did ask him that I was surprised to see him standing in an economy class queue.

The tall man that he is - simply replied. There is a travel policy in Infosys- Any direct flight less than 3 hours everybody flies economy class- It sounded simple. Well it was simple to understand and execute.
Employees feel great with such policies. Administrators feel good about interpretation. No one can play favorites, well almost. All see being treated equal . All see themselves in organization being treated as Resource. Feels great to feel this way.

Such philosophy I am sure guides Infosys in all its policy making and business decision making.

I am forced to think , what all does it take to be a great organization.

Stay Simple. Stay Logical. Stay Transparent.

It is when we complicate & not have no sound logic, we tend to avoid tranparency in organizations.

Great Organizations

I met a gentlemen today who has joined us , few days back. I interacted with him on his background & experiences. One thing apart from his family details, which struck me was -He just could not stop talking and gushing about his last organization. He shared possibilly each and everything about good things that happened to him in his 5 year stint. Salary went up by 11 times, access to Senior Management Etc, focus on quality of life etc.

One thing that has prompted me write here today - may surprise the readers.

After his resignation he has been asked to avail a reward of 3 day trip to Phuket in Jan 2010. He is due to receive his gratuity only after complete 5 years of service. Organization has still given him the gratuity amount to him even though he was 2 months short.

We may have read & shared that exiting employees must be treated as Brand Ambassadors. I saw it unfolding in front of me. It seemed like a fairy tale.

Organizations should learn. Do they even understand positive implication of these actions. Most of them don't.

Some decisions are so far in time and space that we - mere mortals and organizations- do not understand the impact of actions / decisions taken today.

I am sure organizations like the one I got to know today, would lead the way and show to the world that it is possible to marry profit motive with other motives in an organization. Hats Off .

Grow by Watering Yourself

I have successfully done the unthinkable for last two days. Don't get ideas. I did not take my Laptop home. Huge Challenge on spending time !!- Late evening and next morning.



No TV at home coupled with no internet / laptop meant - completely useless and worthless.



Surprisingly it worked - Put on an Ipod listened to latest Music - slept for a while, Glanced through a magazine and moved 10 pages ahead in a book which is on my bedside but was not read for last 2 months.



Readers may say what is new in this, we can all do it. The question is not " can" but " will" .

Will you make the change in your lazy daily habits-routine.


I am watering the plants for last one month. However now in last two days I have started noticing them and observing the new leaves and flowers coming out. Even notice how they sway with early morning wind. I am looking out doing the NEW.



Why am I sharing / writing this. I want people to know. The easiest and most difficult person to change is you. Master yourself. I have not yet - am I on the way - perhaps no . Too early. Stay positive. Keep trying. Water your self. Grow.

This piece is influenced hugely by " who will cry when you die" by Robin Sharma.

St John;s Sr. Secondary School , Meerut Cantt

Yesterday on FB, I was overjoyed to locate my Good Ole school " St John's Sr sec School, Meerut Cantt " now 127 years old . Some noble souls have started this and there are now 113 members . Ther are old pics posted which overwhelmed me, memories came flooding back. Faces recognised -names forgotten - memories uplifting.

I am back in Meerut two weeks from now.Intend to visit the school , will try to see if I can collect some more memories to help people accessing face book - connect it.

Schools build character in students - This one did. Salute.

Face Book - what is it ?

I am hooked to FB. Don't know why as yet. Guess people I know are not savvy ( even I am not) in these matters. It is just that I want to play cool for my son ( 15 years) whom I introduced to FB but he has quickly raced past me and has more than 200 friends while I am still below 50.

Why do get on to FB - Convenient. Intrusive, Inclusive what !!. Cheapest option to stay in touch.

The language used and responses that I keep seeing tells me that one certainly will develop a repository of Smart one liners.

We Don't Understand and Dont Learn

There has been news about Fire in an oil Installtion at Jaipur IOC. 12 lives gone , Hundreds injured , all precautions taken to control damage to residents around and Govt announces that oil companies will be asked to relocate to another location 30 km away from city limits.
Simple.
We just don't learn. Famous saying - " People who forget history are condemned to repeat it".
I am an Ex oil guy. This particular location came up in late nineties on the outskirts of Jaipur - moved from heart of the city.
Then who allowed settlements to come around the new location, any city planning expert or a currupt local babu or a politician whose land acquisition helped him make money by selling adjacent land.
We must learn. Answer is not shifting installtion alone but also finding answers as to how in the first place the accident happened inspite of all safety precautions and prescribed regulations which are checked and audited by third party. Is this not like PWC audit of satyam !!

Iss reality show is Seekho

Is there any learning in reality programs which are being aired at almost all channels?

I was watching a new jungle reality show on a Entertainment channel. There is a challenge thrown at two contestants. Loser will have to exit the show which has a prize money of 1 crore INR.

Well the contestants are - Girl ( 35+) and a boy( less than 30 -strongly built)- Nature of Challenge = very physical , requires strength , requires dare as you have to pull out stars from a box which has snakes/lizards, and various creepy animals/insects.

The Girl wins by a handsome time and margin.

Typically in a training session, one will have a debrief to analyse. Wonder if they just add this to show , it is a great learning /training exercise.

Did the girl win, because it was the prize money , or just the sheer scale of activity assumed herself to be a failure and therefore did give it her best shot, or the boy was complacent. Incidentally she said she fears animal of all types and also heights. This exercise was done handing in the air at approx 100 ft. Whay say?

Whatever be the analysis/reasons- clearly a lesson and learning that all critical challenges need not be thrown at perceived capable individuals in the team. There is an opportunity to create a challenge for other members, not perceived to be upto it, in the team and sheer challenge will make them put in their best. Create new performers. That is the challenge for leaders.

Beginners

Well, I Kick off my new learning in blogging.
I hope my learning curve is short and quick in this new area.