Managing Time For The First Time...

This piece is for those who are currently experiencing shortage of Time.

One of the British Queens is reported to have expressed (something similar to) these words, “There is so much time available for doing nothing, and so little to do something worthwhile.” It is believed that during her reign, foundation of British Empire got laid; an Empire that saw at least one complete century where people often remarked, “Sun does not set in British Empire!”

As a consultant, I am often required to find time for my clients. I have to point out how they need to think and reorganize their daily schedule, to conduct proposed activities. Most of them don’t like being told about managing their time. They claim we know everything that is there to know about managing time; and “We are using Time Management Techniques”, they assert. (They can be often seen scolding their subordinates, “Don’t waste my time!”) With so many PPTs floating around, so many books and articles available, companies doing internal programs, in other words with such a wide spread exposure, some people are bound to develop that feeling and become complacent. Just one day of satisfactorily conducting your to-do-list is enough trigger complacency.

So what can be attempted by those who are experiencing shortage of time?

They need to begin managing their time, more ruthlessly than yesterday. For this sit down and in 10 minutes time write what method you would use to manage your time for next four days. This may be followed by another 10 minute review at the end of four days. Then rewrite the method to be used for another four days. Do not worry if there are holidays or weekends in between. Your time is more precious during such breaks.

Finally, you may be ruthlessly pursuing your method, yet be more polite to others with whom you have to interact.

Body language is changing...

We all have learned the importance of Body Language at some stage or the other. The old adage- "Actions speak louder than words!" is still valid and going strong. However I have come across a few significant occurrences which indicate just like any other language this all powerful language too is changing. Meanings assigned to certain gestures, set of gestures are changing.

• Previously if one smiled at another. It was for giving some thing to the other. Now, if one smiles at another, it is for taking some thing away.
  
• Previously in traffic, if some one looked at the other driver, s/he would give him right of the way. He could proceed as desired. Now looking at other is considered giving right of the way to the other person.
• Previously if a person walked with pride in his stride, he was an honest, law abiding and perhaps a God fearing man. These days if some one walks with pride in his stride, you could be sure that his kind of scam is working to his entire satisfaction.
• Previously we looked at Blogs to see what other people wrote in their Blogs. These days we look at Blogs to look at our own Posts.

The above observations are not entirely devoid of intended pun. And if you ever gets to read this piece, please comment on what you think of the above.

Retail Snap Shots 01

Some thing happened during current visit to Delhi and I decided to continue my commentary on the business of Retail.

I had gone to Connaught Place on a shoestring budget of Rs.200/- and was hopeful of buying a book to read during my travels. Why a budget of only Rs.200/-? For one - I am not a part of any corporate 'benefit match' to be able buy those high priced books on Management Topics and histories of great corporations. Secondly, I find it is very stressful to read and remember what some Ford once said and how it changed the fortunes of Ford Motors. Perhaps in those days employees listened to their employers, some thing of which I am not sure of these days. These days employees not only do not listen to their bosses but also keep complaining their children don't listen to them. Listening to some one, it seems, has gone out of fashion. Further, I have often come across biographical books on the coffee tables in reception of firms where I go calling. And I have found most of those firms reluctant to part with such titles even for a good cause of educating our students. Perhaps such firms like many others are afraid of educated students. And of course that's another story.


So on this fateful day I was in this book store for a good 20 minutes and had began to loose hope of finding a suitable book with in my budget. Most of the titles catching my eyes were priced several times my budget. I had begin to doubt my choice of book store (more than 2000 sq. feet retail space). Just then I saw as the owner was busy scolding an aged employee about slow collections and his method of working. I found it to be a little out of the way to shout at an employee (for such reason) on the floor of the shop before customers. It is a standard practice in un-organized retail businesses to loudly shout at an employee for all ills of the outlet that a customer points out. Then I saw a rack labeled 'Fiction' and found it to be displaying books on Central Excise Laws and other such Law Titles. I asked the store attendant it all those books on law amounted to fiction? He did not catch the intended pun and simple replied, 'Galt haiga jee!', revealing his rustic Punjabi back ground.

Moving further, my hand rested on a title "Retail Business Kit for Dummies" and I repeated to myself- dummies know themselves well and don't ever attempt a Retail Business. And immediately saw the folly of my statement. In India, Retail, it seems is a "Dummies' Delight". As I was visiting a large book store in heart of Indian Capital and they were getting away with whatever bungling they did. A few minutes later I discovered this book to be going through a Retail merchandising Cycle, Rs. 299/- title was being offered at Rs. 89/-, as the publisher was intent upon clearing the stock. I was happy that my search for a book under Rs.200/- was over. But I did not become owner of that book until the attendant, the owner, and one of the cashiers had, one by one, scrutinized me suspecting I carried a sticker from the publishers announcing the 'offer' and had conveniently placed on the front of the book by taking it in to a remote corner. Once they had satisfied themselves they allowed me to take away the book upon payment of Rs. 89/- and I walked out of the store with a feeling of 'having earned' the book. Once outside, after breathing some fresh air, I recognized the tactic. The ridiculously low priced book was another VM technique designed to offer a bait (to visit again) in disguise.

Finally, if you are in Retail, do not think that you are a dummy; and if you actually are a dummy, do not be afraid of getting into Retail, secure in knowledge such books and many other useful titles are available offering the Retail know how.

Navendu Mahodaya

Faith of an Engineer

Faith of an Engineer

[Author Unknown]

I AM AN ENGINEER, in my profession I take deep pride, but without vainglory; to it I owe solemn obligations that I am eager to fulfill.

As an Engineer, I will participate in none but honest enterprise. To him, that has engaged my services, as employer or client; I will give the utmost of performance and fidelity.

When needed, my skill and knowledge shall be given without reservation for the public good. From special capacity springs the obligation to use it well in the services of humanity; and I accept the challenge that his implies.

Zealous of the high repute of my calling, I will strive to protect the interests and the good name of any engineer that I know to be deserving; but I will not shirk should duty dictate, fro disclosing the truth regarding anyone that, by unscrupulous act, has shown himself unworthy of profession.

Since the Age of Stone, human progress has been conditioned by genius of my professional forebears. By them have been rendered (usable to mankind) nature’s vast resources of material and energy. By them have been vitalized and turned to practical account the principles of science and the revelations of technology. Except for this heritage of accumulated experience, my efforts would be feeble. I dedicate myself to the dissemination of engineering knowledge, and especially to the instruction of younger members of my profession in all its arts and traditions.

To my fellows I pledge, in the same full measure I ask of them, integrity and fair dealing, tolerance and respect, and devotion to the standards and dignity of our profession; with consciousness, always, that our special expertise carries with it the obligation to serve humanity with complete sincerity.

Our ability to increase productivity and at the same time cut down inefficiencies and costs and this is an engineering problem. But technology is not all; engineers also play important roles in management and policy making. As one authority has written:

“A substantial share of responsibility for the management of American industry has habitually been given to he engineers, and this share has been increasingly marked during the last half century. It is no longer sufficient for an engineer to be just technically competent; he must be prepared also to make decisions on matters of business policy based on all the manifold factors involved in the conduct of modern industry…. Here is a challenge to the engineer. You have a vital role in the operation of our national economy, both as technical and as administrators.”

The engineer stands ready to meet this challenge today and in the years to come, confident in his faith in India’s future and in the ability of his profession to meet whatever needs that future may demand.

[This piece was presumably written in early 1950s. I found in a cyclostyled sheet among my father's papers. He was an Engineer. Try to replace the word Engineer by the Vocation you are in, I trust it will fit through a few minor alterations. Then you might like to use it to improve the sensitivities of those who work with you.]

Saina's Gold

India's medal statistics stand tall and impressive at 38 - 27 - 36. I know what some of you are thinking. Yes, in terms of a beauty pageant lingo, it sure is very impressive. Jokes apart, our sports-persons have done country proud.

There are many people who have expressed that this medal tally is small compared to what money was sanctioned or the size of our nation and some such ways of comparing. Sure every one is entitled to an opinion. And I have the following to add to those opinions already in circulation:

• I saw a higher degree of sportsmanship spirit among all Indians- Public, Participants, Volunteers and Viewers. No, I m not suggesting- "let us forget and forgive' as far as corruption in organizing is concerned.
  
• I saw Indian Winners weren't hungry for lime light in media and that is a very good trend.
• Every Indian can learn a thing or two from Saina Nehwal. First could be, how to look proper & smart and same time not appear to be conspicuously glamorous.
• Other thing to be learned is how to keep cool when chip are down. She kept her cool when she was about to loose the Gold, towards the end of the second game.
  
• Next thing Saina gave us is- 'Keep working harder with intensity and supreme focus to meet the challenge of the situation before us and not to worry'.
• If Mahabharat's Arjun did exist on this land once upon a time, this time round he has taken birth as Saina Nehwal for she personifies all his qualities while she is at work. And in that respect her Gold Medal is just another beginning of an era we shall all remember for a long time.
  

Finally, let us take these and such other lessons to other Indians and help each other grow the way our sporting stars have grown in past few years.

navendu mahodaya

Reality of Retail

This three-way Chess Board depicts the stark reality of Retail. It is a game played between three players- Customer, Staff & Management; where the Goods Displayed are the different 'Pieces' with which the Players must assert.And for a successful game all three must win.

Talent is Multidimensional

Recently I saw Deepika Padukone in a Talent Hunt Show. She was on her roller skates and performed several dance movements in a flawless manner. I was awe struck. This is why:

• Deepika came to lime light with her stint in Badminton, which she probably picked up as her father is an ace Badminton player.
• If she learnt roller skating as a child is not known, yet in my view that is an additional plus for her. And now, that ability to dance like a consummate performer you often see on television took the breath out of me.
• From Badminton, she went on to become a fashion model, adding another dimension to her talent.
• Then she switched over to an acting career.
• All these happened very quickly, with in a some 3 - 4 years of her switching from Badminton. May be actual number of years is some what different.

You can call her very talented, a quick learner and a born star, clap, cheer, become a fan, seek auto graph, dream hugging her. OR you can take a leaf out of her life to study her DNA, the stuff she is made of. When you do that, you will find, she is another "next door girl" who happened to shape her talents by letting those talents out.

People who show such diversity of high grade talent, have learnt "Learning" very early in life. They stay away from "Faking" and focus on immediate challenges. Instead of worrying about what will I wear on the Red Carpet, they get busy doing some thing that would take them there. I am awe struck that Deepika has mastered this quality. I know very little about her, yet I am sure, she has this knack of learning what makes a career switch successful.

Each one of us has a talent that we can be proud of. It takes a while to discover it. It may even take decades. The task is made difficult by us alone, some what automatically. As young children, we were very impressionable. We did not know it - then. We saw some thing being done, took fancy for it and declared, I am going to be so-n-so, with out going into the feasibility of it. The other common folly is, we ignored our other interests, skills, or talents. We just focused on that "acquired interest" and struggled to make it work. If the choice was correct, it worked; otherwise we blamed it on the good old "LUCK".

Here I wish to share a technique I have often used. I have found myself mediocre in many areas. I failed to excel and suffered the consequences. ["Suffering the consequences" would be more appropriate.] How do I overcome this situation? I focus on only one area of endeavor at a time. I focus so intensely that I some times can not even recall details from my other efforts. People smilingly help me out. People have also told me, 'it happens with us all, age sure catches up you know!' This intense focus creates energy, abilities that make my task simpler when I switch my area of effort. This intense focus (in a diversion) creates those spaces [in my mind] that improve my ability to handle my routine tasks as well. May be you have another way to explain this phenomenon, yet you can not deny the benefit accrued.

The point I wish to make is-

We all are blessed with multiple set of talents. Some of us become obsessed with one of those talents. Some of us are pressurized to focus on one of those talents. Please be aware that other talents haven't deserted you. Those talents too are with in you. Also, please be aware, that unused talents too are trying to come out in open, and in such an effort may be blocking the path of the expression. Allow them some time and let them be out, blocks would be a thing of past - and pure joy shall prevail.