Spirited conversation at the bar

Teetotaler: Just to get that 5+% of alcohol into your body, you spend and drink bottles of beer …

Hmmmm .

Social drinker: Like how just to get 21% of oxygen we spend the whole of our life breathing air even if it’s polluted .Hmmmmmmm

Our friend could not bear nor beat the die hard beer logic.

Work – life balance – Habits die hard

Why do we carry the work place home ?? Who is to be blamed for this habit and for some this addiction ?? A pointer to ponder over

Well, It just stuck me … one of the reasons could be the deep rooted anchor and association we have developed due to indoctrination from early school days “The Home Work”

Looks like that is the real culprit .

Admittedly our generation cannot do much about this virus injected by the educational institutions and those revered members of teachers fraternity.

However , let’s at least resolve to spare our children and not spoil their home life .

Our work – life Balance sheet looks skewed if not XXXXXed (censored)….

Let save our children please !!!!

Delegation - The reverse way !!

This learning curve keeps bending to a new beginning …

It’s very interesting …..Now a days I am experiencing a new art and /or skill of delegation!

Some call it “reverse delegation” some coin it as “upward delegation”

For sake of simplicity in definition, I call it as an opportunity for me to go ‘back to basics’

I do not know if this is part of the curriculum in the new B schools ….most of the ‘Gen X ‘professionals seem to excel in this like some fish to water.

The passing of the parcel is performed to perfection with utmost courtesy and elegance that it makes it embarrassing to refuse.

Old school boys! Watch out and it will not be a bad idea to feel for your shoulders and spot the monkey(s) once a while.

We may not refuse … that for sure …..At least we can become conscious

PS: I am enjoying it!! Make no mistake about that

How figures can lie the truth.....it's all in the way you project it

Bata Information Technology System (BITS), the corporate cosmetic kit

( At the meeting )
Boss: How many machine operators are struggling without a proper tool kit?
Lead Engineering: 69 out of the 489 operators as per my last evening report

PS: Corridor conversation
Q: How come you are able to rattle up the details with such precision
A: Simple, never forget to follow the BITS policy! Never say 100, say 99 it has an impact.

Now I understood the magic numbers can cause (69 not 70; 489 not 490)

The lies of precision over rides the truth of being vague . That’s reality !!

 Why is the education system getting it all wrong

After visiting multiple campuses to hire Management Trainees, this thought resides in my mind.

All these institutions focus on “learning to study; rather than studying to learn”. Be it a subject matter, concept, theory, philosophy of thought …..Call it by any name. The means has become an end in itself.

The day all the stakeholders in institution realize that “Earning is nothing but the exchange value of one’s learning and it’s transfer effect ….education at B-Schools/colleges will be more focused and professionalized in the desired direction.

 This Split A/C had me in splits!!

The guy had come to fix the split A/C and as I was watching him intensely at his work

Suddenly years roll buy and I got reminded of the early 1980s when one of my friend told me “we bought 2 tonner split A/C for our bedroom”

At that time, I knew of only window A/Cs and was actually thinking split A/C means they will fix the unit in such a way that the A/C is split between 2 rooms (like in my friends place as 1 tonne each).

For some reasons did not seek clarification ….

On reflection I now realize; how thin was the line between ignorance/ innocence AND Inquiry
…..And in that miniscule space how my vain ego perched itself disabling /restricting me from seeking a spontaneous clarification.

Well, the good news is that the present generation do not experience the gap most times

My neighbor was complaining. This election commission has set a bad precedent and inculcated a bad habit amongst the new generation. …Very disturbing…

I could not connect with his comments and lead him with nods to continue

You know my grand son, Jercy , this morning when I woke him up telling him it’s 6 am and time for his getting ready for the tennis practice…..he did something very annoying  ….turning  around in bed he groped for his mobile only to sleepily stare at the time to reconfirm if I have got the time right …

What got me cross with him was his not trusting even the big wall clock staring at him in the room and he turning blind to it.

I now understood. Admittedly the viewers across the country saw and heard the congress candidate violating the model code of conduct and yet when a complain was lodged with the EC – DM, he said, “ Fine, let me see, study and verify the facts and thereafter we will take necessary action”.

All that he needed to do was to switch on the TV or walk into any shop blaring the news coverage every half hour …

Yes, my neighbor had good reasons to be pissed off with both EC and Jercy

Given all that one could have asked for – power – position – precedents ….I wonder what cause must be withholding some from taking decisive actions??

Perhaps, responsibility and power is not just in its idle existence on our lap but truly lies in grabbing it and taking with both hands; for a cause.

The just concluded polling brought to fore the two polar opposite personalities who personified in their own ways the office of the EC

One was our inimitable man who; as it’s said “Shehan-ed it “
The other who diplomatically deflected, shirked and shunned it

The comparison of the twosome can become an awesome model lesson on Executive Leadership in action

According to CNN-IBN, Modi is planning to send a “Thank you “ card to our compulsively caustic and coarse Shri. Mani Shankar Iyer and it’s believed he will refuse to accept it and return the same to the sender.

In IPL analogy, Mani gifted Modi a free hit!! The mauling response not only sent the ball but even the bowler out of the political stadium for the next few weeks.

May be a small slip of the tongue and a big lashing slap in return.

"vinaash kaale vipreet buddhi"

Head I win and tail you lose – the new management mantra

What better position our Prince can be in!!

If the party makes the grade (accidents do happen!!), well, it will be seen as he has won it on his head and shoulders and God forbid.....

If the party loses, of course there are enough tails around to carry the tale of “collective irresponsibility”.

Thank God such kind are not occupying or assumed Corporate Leadership position and Role and have mercifully stayed back into the domain (of family backyard business) that has been thrust upon them by the accident of birth.

God save the country!!

Life is all about the sense of timing

I remember vividly about one of my colleagues who in a fit of the moment dashed across to the office of his boss and tendered his resignation.

As luck could have it, the boss accepted his resignation and asked him to serve the notice period and till they find a replacement.

He was crestfallen, did not expect his boss to accept his papers like some across counter. His team of sales guys went across to him pleading and imploring him not to resign and urged him to continue etc. …..But then it was too late in the day …

Well, only he knew that “the coin had been dropped”

Today, reading the news report about how Nitish- CM of Bihar had resigned and how swiftly the governor had accepted his resignation followed by the host of followers asking him to continue….

Compare the same with the strategy of Stalin in TN and the first family plan in Congress …. Our Nitish should learn a few lessons.

At all-time be within your senses and never ever miss the sense of time.

That’s the essence while the rest is destiny!!

In the “Here and Now” realities of this world for someone to dismiss the other person’s feelings sans any semblance of sensitivity is the biggest dis-service to humanity

I could not believe my ears and eyes when certain experts (sic) on the News Channel could be so insensitive to Modi shedding tears and calling it names and coining it as cosmetic.

As I lay on my bed ready to retire ,  this poem  flashed on me and thought I should share ;

My tears and my fears
It has no age; do not call it "a cry baby"
It has no gender; do not call it "sissy"
It does not like to be stopped when it flows; do not scream a "stop”
It's genuine and real; do not call it "crocodile tears"
It speaks a lot; do not call it "dumb"
Remember those challenges and adversaries will look just barren
Without those tears of courage flowing as and when
My tears are my true testimony
To the courage that I show through those agonies
Have a heart and try reaching out to my tears
Or at least do not ridicule me that's that I dread and fear

I can’t believe this! Of course I do not in the process want to be sounding insensitive on the historical insensibility of the subject matter 

It’s learnt that all the major players on national channel approached the government expressing their fear on the sudden drop on TRP post the election.

As a gesture, the debate on Article 370 was thus baptized with the benedictory statement from the Minister in the PMO office setting the ball on fire 

In IPL terms it’s “Match fixing”; while media calls it “Watch fixing” 

What a scornful irony that some speak ill of Ms. Smrithi Irani.

When we look back at the performance of the previous CONgress government especially the so called “The Brain Trio” who held positions of direct responsibilities for the health of the economy, the three top of the mind words are - Dismal, Disaster and Depressing.

Now, match the class room educational background of these personalities who were the poor personification of the state of affairs and it will shock you!!
Manmohan Singh – Cambridge
Chidambaram – Harvard
Montek Singh Ahluwalia – Oxford

While these intellectuals collectively worked as if they were mandated to design a   dreadful decade of decadence; the irony is that some party leaders have the cheek in them to call the new HRD minister as educationally a misfit to occupy the chair

Well, I am reminded of the nursery rhyme and here is the extract with some touch up here and there
“All the queen’s horses and all the queen’s men could not put economy and prosperity ever together again”

“May I seek your attention please” he shouted. Hearing this everyone around scurried and scooted …..

On way back from the morning walk, was chatting up with the seasoned form tutor of primary section ….
I really have a challenge managing this brat in my class.

He is all the time up to something. Throwing tantrums, fighting with the other boys and girls, creating continual rumpus and ruckus, walking out of the class at a drop of an issue and later apologizing only to get back to business of melees and melodramas

I am fed up….how many times I should punish him to make him think about it and realize….. Just no impact …none at all…

He is what I would call a CAS  “Compulsive Attention Seeker”. But one thing about him I really envy.

He has what I call the lopsided gift!

Every time he will come out with something new, creative and innovative idea and plan keeping the surprise and suspense alive all the time.

I did not want to be prescriptive about how to handle such brats. I gave her a patient hearing and as we reached the door, silently picked up the newspaper and handed it over to her.

One glance at the headlines ….. We had a good laugh “Another case of a CAS’ was her parting punch line.

Who can deny, no doubt AK is a CAS but with a difference. Unlike the child he seems to be suffering from repeating the same tantrums time and again.

May be he should meet this boy of seven “a budding creative genius”

The time has changed and so has certain stripes and stars that decorates certain shoulders – Corporate - Politics – Films and Sports…..

There was a time ( and it continues even today ) when people with  lot of pride and sense of achievement called themselves and even others referred to them as “ Oxford - Cambridge – Stanford – Harvard – Columbia- Wharton returned and such kinds were received and treated with  lot of respect

Today the claim to fame has undergone a paradigm shift and the sense of pride (sic) is more in association with brand names like  “TIHAR – ERAVADA – NAINI- PUZHAL to name a few.

These halls of fame do have certain grades and classifications, like;

Ø     Intense long duration internship based residential program – Police custody

Ø    Short term Executive development  programs - Judicial custody

Ø   Sponsored stay - Where you are lodged in the cell on behalf of the Party, Corporate, and Institution etc.

Ø  Scholarship stay - Where someone sponsors your day to day facilities like outside food etc. in the jail

Ø  Sandwich program - Where you are permitted intermittently to take a break and come back to cell like on perennial paroles

Well, the world is today too competitive and certain people do not miss any opportunity to create a differentiating brand for oneself.

If not through campus why not cell? The good news is that the latter sells equally well. It’s all on how well one can leverage and capitalize upon such opportunities (sic)