Memories from Ex.Colleague

On 17-Nov-2012, met one of my ex-colleague, whose name is Mr. Ramanan(actually he is senior to me), and I had the blessing of working with him in 1997 for a short period of time. Now, he is Senior Sales Manager in Khivraj group of companies and promoting new residential project, 'Olympia - Pallavaram'.

I met him at Valluvar Kottam, Chennai, in an exhibition on the promotion lands, flats and Villas. The meeting lasted for 20-25 minutes. We exchanged about updates both personal, professional levels, and started enquiring about our time colleagues, both my batch members, and seniors. I felt very nice to know, almost(all of them) everyone have settled in their personal, professional life, with all the minimum expected comforts.

During the discussion, I realized that I had the same warm, welcoming, comforting, feeling, which was rendered to me, around 15 years back. That's the magic of  Ramanan. By the way, we both were working in Sales, for Union Motor Services Limited(Unipro), Chennai, which was closed after few years of operations.

After the conclusion of the meeting, I started moving to other exhibition stalls, and churning back in times, thinking about those times, for few minutes. After that, started comparing to the day. And quickly concluded, few observations as lessons learnt from the past, which can be used light post, looking at the future.

Observations - Analysis - Comparisons - Evaluations - Conclusions

(01) It's not possible to hide any person's originality, so easy. They would remain the same, because, they have been produced by god, for that purpose only.

For an example: During those days, Unipro has many seniors, and Ramanan is one of the senior, who is highly demanded within the organization. Myself and my batch members, were very new to the industry, we wanted someone to answer our queries, clarifications, concerns and provide suggestions to attack. Most of the seniors, were projected occupied with some other things and project that they cannot or may not able to talk. But Ramanan, always had quality time for each one of us. He always, talk to each-one of us, and extended his help, as much as possible. Irrespective of the team in which we were represented, and irrespective of the problems, can be feature doubts, or workshop support, or finance clarification or support or handling clients with conflicts, like anything, pertaining to the operations. Even today, when I met him, he has few suggestions, how to improve my car maintenance, service quality, and willing to help through Khivraj service support, whenever and wherever is required. I also, felt nice, because he is still approaching me as an equal human being, never ever projected as a senior or anything else sort of.

(02) God has enough food to serve everyone. Some of us finds it early, some of us find it later, but everybody gets it. God was so kind enough, to see all my ex-colleagues were well-settled, in a positive, vibrant manner. So, nobody need to feel, that they are NOT lucky, whereas, others so.

(03) In certain angle, all the appreciations, recognitions, ratings, targets, appraisals, were insignificant, referring at the long-term horizon as concerned. Does not need to be jealousy, ego-conscious, embarrassment about any incidents, because at later point of time, people remember, for your behaviour, gestures, and the charm & fun, you brought to their intellectual, emotional and physical body.

(04) Persistence - In case if we made-up our mind and struggle through, definitely we will achieve the same. Else, we will be representing and struggling to realize somebody's thoughts.

(05) Irrespective of the situation, better be pleasing and be firm on your values, strengths. In case, if we fail, never mind, because, we are working on our strengths. So, we will improve the same accordingly.

Message for Deepavalli / Diwali

Every year, we see Deepavalli / Diwali, and we celebrate, just by crackers, sweets, new clothes, watching programs in TV and what else? That's all it is?!

What's the significance of this event? We will listen to story of Narakasuran. Is that's all? Why are we celebrating the death of Narakasuran, so much? Whats the learning of the situations? Whats the lessons to be learnt?

Think about it.

We all talk about, it as festival of lights. By light, we clear all the darkness. OK. So what?

The darkness, to our times, refers to characteristics like, fear, doubts, jealousy, loneliness, embarrassment, upsets etc. The light, to our times, refers to characteristics like, courage, clarity, moral support, family support, social support, emotional support, contentment, unity etc.

Reasoning for this festival, to establish bonding within family, relatives, society to complement each other. For an example, at an individual family level, the new clothes were bought & sweets were made by love and distribute among themselves to all the family members. This new clothes is to make them feel as if they were NEW, to clear and give-up all misunderstandings among ourself and celebrate this incident as a remarkable moment, by having sweets.

We encourage our kids to take brave route, by enabling them to play with crackers, by our moral and emotional support.

These are the reasoning behind this event. But today, we do it for the sake of doing it. We get new clothes, We buy sweets from popular shop(Not much of home cooking activity), we ask our kids to play with crackers along with our neighbour kids(Not really accompanying them). Most of people, sit in-front of Television, and watch some of the latest movie OR watch an heroine interview, who will be around 20 years of age, who may not seen enough world than us(But we quiet keen in knowing and learning their experience). 

Among the family members most of them keep chatting in internet or talking some other people by phone, but NOT really sitting along with entire family members talking to each others. It has become very rare event. Matter of fact, discussion within family, need to fix-up an appointment.

The reasoning of the festival is something intended, but we turned it up to some other mechanical manner and made this as an formality. In case if we really understand the reasoning about the festival and align accordingly, then, believe me, its really Deepavalli / Diwali.

Anyhow Happy Deepavalli / Diwali

Like / Hate People for NO reason

Hope all you have experienced, same feeling, at some point of time. is it n't? We really like to talk or work or stay with few people and also, we do NOT like to talk or work or stay with few people. But we may not able to justify / substantiate with any credible answers.

Why is it so?

Based on my observations and analysis, some of the findings.

Hate - Whenever we meet people, we get to know, their credentials, achievements, power(financial, society respect, family support, reference contacts), position, growth, language, vocabulary, success, fortune, beauty, physique or health. Based on the collection of data, (mentioned few above), our brain collects and works-out, to publish some score. And if the score is more than the acceptable limits, then it means that the person is better-off than the self. 

If the person is better-off, then, next evaluation triggers, to understand, whether the person is amicable to self? whether the person, could help the self to scale-up to their level? if at all, it says firm YES, then, the brain communicates to heart as 'LIKE'. 

In case if the brain evaluation, fails to get favourable response, then, it communicates to heart as 'HATE'. 

Since all these things happens implicitly, within a fraction of a second, before we realise consciously, the mind work-out and concludes quickly.

Just because of this only, we have NO answers or justifications, for Like / Hate people. In case if these things, happen consciously, through the help of mind and brain, then, each one of us would act as advocate, in terms of logical, emotional, analytical justifications.

Next, is this good or bad? Definitely bad. Its better NOT to like or hate anyone. Lets learn to look as they are and NOT to get into evaluation basis with everyone. Need to develop maturity that, each one has their good and bad, to fit their role in this world and I am sure, they are marching towards it. Lets enjoy travelling along with them, if possible lets extend hand and help them, else, stay back and clap to encourage them. Let's avoid branding or stereotyping. That's the way to maturity.

Principles to keep happy workforce

I have got a magazine, 'The Smart CEO', Volume 2 Issue 11, Dated Nov'15 - Dec'15, 2010, as free in our office bus, when I was travelling from Madhya Kailash to Siruseri. Even though, I got the magazine, not really excited to read. After few weeks, When I had time to read it, then, felt quiet interesting. Let me share some of the cover story's salient aspects.

Devdutt Pattanaik, who is appointed & serving as Chief Belief Officer, for Future Group(Pantaloon, Big Bazaar), retail chain stores group. He mentions that he extracts lessons from our puranas, upanishads, and share the same to Management, & Senior Management teams. For an example, for a person, who become from Supervisor to Manager, he has stories from 'Vikram & Bethal' as training course contents. He has mentioned, 10 principles, to keep a happy work force, which is applicable across industry and companies.

• Know that happiness is a combination of Lakshmi(Material Health), Saraswati(Intellectual wealth), and Durga(Emotional Strength), LSD for short. Unless there is a balanced exchange of all three, there will be no happiness.

• Know that beliefs cannot be measured, but, they shape the way we think, the way we behave and the way we do business.

• Know that all decisions are influenced by invisible belief systems of an individual...to assume that a decision is rational is the greatest error of modern management.

• Know that people want you to look at them: look at the person not 'Human Resources' or 'People'.

• Know that all things are contextual - what its right in one situation may not be so in another.

• Know that lakshmi chases the secure Vishnu, while insure Indra chases Lakshmi; Wealth follows confidence, confidence does not follow wealth.

• Know that Lakshmi always comes with alakshmi, the gooddess of quarrels - so when there is wealth and fortune, fights are bound to follow.

• Know that humans are 99 percent animals, fearing scarcity and predators that they sense in their imagination.

• Know that everyone wants to feel significant in an organisation - Systems and processes tend to dehumanise people and take away their relative significance.

• Know that people often do not know why they are doing what they doing. This ignorance leads to confusion, hence unhappiness.

Systems should work for People, Not other way

People those whoever travelling to office, especially, crossing over sholinganallur signal, on OMR road, Chennai, would know how challenging it is. This signal has 4 roads, and intersection of them. 1 points to Madhya Kailash,  2nd one referrs to Siruseri, 3rd ECR and 4th is Medavakkam. 1 & 2 represent same road and similarly 3 & 4 represent same road. Both 1 & 2 AND 3 & 4, intersect at Sholinganallur.

This signal is, one of the most time consuming signal. As usual, at this place, we have automated signal and also physical & human being as traffic constable.

On 17-Oct-2012, I missed my office bus, due to the rain and planned to travel by Bike, from Saidapet to Siruseri. As soon as, I reached, Sholinganallur Signal, travelling from Madhya Kailash, hoping to cross-over junction to travel towards Siruseri.

At that moment, the traffic constable was organizing the vehicles to move into their respective lane, based on the time slice available, as appropriately, with the direction of automatic signal. When the turn came to Medavakkam lane, he was allowing them to pass over. But at that moment, their were very few vehicles available, and our lane had more vehicles. The constable was willing OR not capable to let our lane vehicles to go. Instead, he was keep inviting vehicles from medavakkam road to cross-over.

I was quiet curious in observing him. Even though he is aware that the vehicles were few on Medavakkam lane, he was keep checking the automatic signal, accordingly, passing his directions. When the automatic signal, changed my lane favour, he has changed his direction and supported us.

I was surprised about this approach. Why the human being, is present in the situation & location, and aware of the need of the moment, but able or not permitted to take decision? Why should he need to check for automatic signal direction? Why no such manual override option not provided to that constable?

Whether people need work as per systems established? OR Whether system need to work as per People? As per my opinion as concern, if a human intervention available, then, system override to be allowed, based on the human judgement.

All systems need work for people. People should not work for systems. However, based on discipline, principles and common directions, if system available, we can follow. But if required, based on the situation, we need to have opportunity and facility to override the established system, by human, at all aspects.

Professional Vs Personal

PMI National Conference 2012

This is one of the most expected event by professionally. The event hosted at Leela Palace, MRC Nagar, Chennai. Schedule 28-30 September 2012. From morning 09.15 hours to 19.00 hours IST everyday. Its hosted by PMI Chennai & Kerala chapter together.

Being an early bird invitee, went to the location on 28th september 2012 by 09.30 hours IST itself. This hotel & location are new to me, got clues by discussing with Ganesh - VP Education of PMI Chennai chapter. But still I missed this location and went to TVH apartments, and got guided to the correct spot.

My number is 505 and get into the counter no: 5, and Mr.Selvakumar is the counter-in charge. With quiet patiently, he has explained about the Welcome Kit, RFID and provided with Pen Drive(quiet surprisingly) with technical paper. Selva, requested me to return RFID tag, on my return from the conference. He even mentioned that this conference is planned, "GO GREEN" initiate, by giving welcome bag. I just thought for a moment, that, since the bag is green in color, people started claiming as green. Somehow, Selva read my mind, and immediately, responded that, not only bag's color, but also the bag is made-up of fabric, without including any plastics and also many more initiatives taken on this reference, which you will see as conference progress.

As conference progressed, each speaker was honoured with Momento and also, a certificate for planting a count of tree, on the behalf of the speaker. Its very good. After each session completed, the feedbacks were requested, but again a change in the approach. Instead of providing in regular papers, they were informed to delegates by an SMS, we need respond based on the codes. Again another milestone, to minimize usage of paper. Very good.

After early bird sessions, actual event started, with a cultural event. The compere mentioned that the cultural event will be conducted by Karthik. One youngster, came and stood on the stage and four more came and stood on a stage, which is kept at different parts of conference hall. They played the song of 'Jai Ho' of AR Rahman and they made us to represent various components of orchestra and sing the song as in original. By stating in english, seems to be so easy, but the demonstration on the stage, through the delegates of 1200, is NOT AT ALL easy. But believe me, after this event, almost all of us were laughing and smiling limitlessly.

On day 2, we had Guruji Sri Sri Ravisankar session, which is a magic. Guruji, on the fly demonstrated 'Desktop Yoga', helped all of us to meditate for few minutes. Everything took around 18 minutes only, but we all felt as refreshed. His speech was around how individual could comfortably lead professional life, is Passion - Compassion - Dis-passion. He said, when world created, Lord Vishnu(Manager) came first, then Lord Brahma(Creator) came. What a connect between spirituality and professional...Simply great.

On day 3, we had session with E.Sreedharan, whom we consider as Father of India's Project Management. For everything and anything, he has solution and work around.He highlighted the key characteristics for the competitive project manager as, (a) Punctuality (b) Integrity (c) Professional Competency (d) Social responsible / belonging. He has explained each and every aspects of this in detail. Half of his time, dedicated to Q&A with delegates. One of the delegate is from Hyderabad Metro, and raised a question with reference to a problem faced by his management, which is delaying the project to proceed further. But the way Sreedharan, replied was amazing. He just replied, "start need to happen, where well-acceptance is available not where the problem exists. I am disappointed the way things taken over". Even if we allowed atleast 5 more minutes, I guess he might have completed project review session on the fly(without any notes, points, ppts).

Followed by Big Debate, which was Moderated by L.Sujeeth Kumar, who is a Location Head - HR for Infosys. The topic, "Could woman be better project managers?" It quiet delicate and complicate, where the both the sides, need to show decent edges, as pros and cons. But the moderator, so good, got to see those small things and blown-up in a debate fashion, which has made so interesting for the audience. Moderator, need to mention about, the way catch the point, the way blow with his own experience, and the way its presented to audience, believe me, it was great treat to watch, hear, and think about it. Excellent. Mr.Pascal, who is General Manager of Leela palace, was NOT supporting women could be better project manager, where he clearly mentioned that Woman managing men is OK, but Women managing women is a challenge. Actually he is from france. So this observation seems to be valid across globe. Interesting. The debate concluded with Sujeeth, wonderful conclusion note, favouring woman, but the way it was presented, is really impressive. Good Show Sujeeth.

Atlast the conference ended. But need to acknowledge their Volunteers, about their commitment, dedication, involvement, passion, ego-less operation are worth to appreciate.

Overall, it was interesting, knowledgeable, exciting conference. Worth more than we paid. Hoping to know more such opportunities.