Management Lesson | Saala Khadoos

Saala Khadoos - is an inspirational movie based on women boxing. The script is written based on the women boxing championship which won the international event. The movie is an story of a coach who identifies the talent, coaches, trains, motivates and inspires to be the boxing champion. The movie is an attempt to showcase that women can become champion and shine internationally. Although the acting, story play and music is excellent, which makes one to sit and watch probably one can estimate the sequences in the movie.

The movie as usual highlights the corruption, sexual harassment by the sports association of India. With all these hurdles there are true patriots who love the country and inspire many. A big standing ovation to all these little unknown heroes who inspire many of us.

Both Madhavan and  Ritika Singh have given their best performances.

The key lessons from the movie are

1.  Take Criticism as a challenge and show that Yes I CAN.

2.   Visualize the success and believe

3.   An right coach can identify an good Talent

4.   Believe in mentor & Coach

5.   Dedicate and hardwork is must to achieve success

6.  Gratitude makes you humble.

7.  When you are successful, there are many relations! 

Bottom-line

Continuous efforts - not strength or intelligence- is the key to unlocking our potential.

Book Review | First, Break All the Rules

Book Title: First, Break All the Rules

Author: Marcus Buckingham

Employee engagement surveys provides the key pulse about the employees perception to the organisations. Every organisation believes that its the employees that are the key resources which enables the organisation to achieve its vision. The book is a product of 25 years of research by the Gallup Organization, of which Buckingham and Coffman are a part where in the research is summarized in seven chapters. The books ignites the mind to enable greater managerial skills to identify, retain and develop talents.

The key summary are

1. Measurement is important

In the employee engagement survey typically has 12 Questions; understanding Q12 with employee is very important. Q1 and Q2 help an employee to understand basic work expectations & offerings. Q3 to Q6 address the self-esteem and individual performance and recognition. Q7 to Q10 describes right fit for the job and Q11 & Q12 indicates career progression

2. Wisdom is required

Hiring needs to be based on talent, skill and abilities and not simply on experience. While developing someone, it should be based on right role rather than position in organisation chart.

3. Select Right Talent:

identify the Striving Talent, thinking talent and relating talent. Use these talents to motivate.

4. Define the deliverable:

Allow the person to find his own route to achieve the deliverable. Assign the deliverable based on persons strength aligned to organisation strategy & objectives.

5. Focus on Strengths:

Great managers have the ability to describe in details, the unique talent of their people and use the three dimensions of thinking such Striving, Thinking and Relating to build relationship. The best manager treat each person as he would like to be treated. Great managers spend their majority of time with their best and productive people. Excellent teams are built on individual excellence.

6. Right Fit

Great managers scrutinize roles and people to yield right fits. Great managers provide feedback through dialogues.

7. Interview skills:

The purpose of interview to identify the strength and behaviour to match the job.

Bottom-line:

Talent is the multiplier. The more energy and attention you invest in it, the greater the yield. The time you spend with your best is, quite simply, your most productive time.

Book Review | The Wit and Wisdom of Peter F. Drucker

Book Title : The Wit and Wisdom of Peter F. Drucker
Author: Will Foret 

The wit and wisdom of peter F Drucker is just like a ready recokner, where in the author  has taken the key learnings of his books and summarized. I found the following points key from the book

# Focus on your strengths and cultivate a deep understanding of yourself. The fundamental thought behind it is basic; focus on your qualities and develop a profound comprehension of yourself. 

# Management by Objective requires every levels of mangers to recognize their objectives for all assigned tasks they are in charge of. 

# Administration inadequacy due to absence of framework; over staffing;mal-association & breakdown of data. 

# Problems are due to - Really non exclusive; genuinely remarkable; generic and new bland issue# entrepreneurial propensities are Non concocted here, quality, premimum value, creaming and maximize as opposed to streamline

# organisations work best when it is decentralized

# Contradictions gives choices, animates the creative energy, and offers assistance with breaking out of assumptions

# Effectiveness over renowed master

# Employees are resources 

# Focus on client; the essential capacity of business is to serve the client and the essential objective of your business is to create clients.

# Non benefits give satisfaction

Management lessons from AIRLIFT

I remember I was studying in eight standard during the gulf war. During the start of the movie I recollected how my dad and my neighbor would grab their attention at 7:30pm to radio to know about the situation during the gulf war. I recollected while watching the movie, many of our know people would visit our neighbor who had airlifted safely during the war and thank god, people didn't had whatsup so they could show sympathy and empathy to the family, which had everything but did had penny while landing, clothes to wear only memories.

Airlift is an excellent movie on the refuge crises that happened during the Kuwait war. The story and picturisation is wonderful. The movie show cases about the helpless by the governments and leadership of one man to move Indians to India. The complete movie is just awesome and I found the following are the key inspirational lessons that can be drawn

1. War or Conflicts only bring misery.


2. United we stand and divided we fall


3. Every conflict gives an opportunity to showcase leadership skills


4. Negotiation skills are very important


5. Choices are inevitable


6. Hurdles - Internal / External needs to be challenged


7. Communication is important - however unless you put the feelings and pains of other, you cannot make it effective.


8. Leadership is all about being humble, caring, showing path, walking the path and leading the path.

Serve (NT) Lead ERSHIP !!

The ground was full with faithful, singing and praising the God with hymns. It is summer and breeze was hot and children were feeling discomfort. A huge crowd is also witnessing the events.

In the middle of the service, the priest removed his vestments and tied a cloth on his waist and went near each of the elders. The priest poured water, cleaned and wiped the legs of the selected elder siting at the alter and kissed their legs.

The event is emotional and soul touching. In today's world, we are do not have time to talk to the people, but a taking time and in front of huge crowd. The feet is washed and Kissed.

For each of the activity that the priest, I could explain to reflect the following meanings aligning to close to God. .

1. Tying a cloth around waist – Proactive



2. Washing the feet – Forgive the past



3. Wiping the feet – Forget the past



4. Kissing the feet – Be Compassion



5. Presenting bread – celebrate

Bottom-line:

The concept of Servant leadership came into existence on the Maundy Thursday. Every individual is a leader by his own and has an opportunity to serve …

A far ABLE dreAM !!

After almost 2 years after been relocated from Mumbai, I revisited for an offical work. The city which does not seep and for many its all about achieving dreams. Many settle in Mumbai and become mumbaikar. Earlier people used to go to Mumbai to fullfill their dreams. I remember my relatives when they used to visit us during their vacations, there was a merry making & celebrations in my house. The neighbours would visit us to hear the gossips and know bollywood celebrities. They would directly ask, wheather they had personally meet these stars and how they look. When I was working in Mumbai and back at home during vacations, still neighbours would meet and ask did I meet their favourite celebrate anytime. Apart from the people who stay in Mumbai, nobody understand the life of Mumbai. The trains, the crowd, the fun!

During my travel time in the local, in Mumbai I used to complete reading  “The Times Of India” newspaper. It is obvious that we can find a full page advertisement daily on the real estate displayed in every corner of the train aswell as in daily news paper. I found few advertisements on the newspaper on the new constructions that are coming up not in the prime city but at the out skirts of the city. The advertisement was on affordable house, 1 bed room kitchen just for 1 crore. Near the railway stations we find big hoardings of the new constructions advertising the value of affordable housing as Just ONE CRORE.

In Indian real estate market, we see a 1bhk flat costing over a crore rupees without any infrastructure and facilities. Truly we pay amazing high prices for undeveloped infrastructure and facilities. Sunlight, garden are offered as "features" when they are basic necessities. Some have balcony door width shrinking from 4ft to < 3 ft. Apts come up like bunch of match boxes(murgi ke dabde ek ke upper anek).

Bottom-line

My ex-boss used to say . 15 years back to buy a house, you need to mortgage that house. To buy a house now, you need to mortgage your life

With crore plus costs, EMI's run for over 30 years & average middle class dream of having a roof over head, turns out to be a Damocles’ sword. With already rising inflation and spend on paying credit card bills, expensive car/bike/mobile phone, high donation+ school fees, highest petrol rates, what not!

To add to this - pollution, water crisis, traffic jams and hire/fire policy!

It has become - a+far+able – dream?

The reality is that, the tier two cities have also started advertising on developing one crore for 1 BHK. we are pledging our lives for banks and work for banks indirectly:-).

LockHER !!

Today we live in a world which is complex. Travelling on official work decade ago was a motivating factor and everybody would look forward for that. Travelling was specific to Marketing and Sales department and few top executives. Many considered those were the lucky ones. Today the scenario has changed, call it as an globalization effect or agility –  this has made even the person responsible for operations keep his bags ready and keep on travelling.

Few avoiding travel with family as they have to safe keep of precious metals that are moulded into ornaments and valuables that are rarely used.

From long time, I was approaching the banks for availing locker facility to ensure that few ornaments are safe and soundly protected. Stephen Covey has made his “Win-Win Situation” mantra very popular even with the lowest executives of bank. Whichever bank I approached they greeted and showed interest in providing a locker, weather it was a Government owned bank or private operated bank. The terms and conditions of all the banks which ever I approached was same. They would charge an rental fees and interest charges based on the size of the locker, which was acceptable. But all of them want an favour, that they openly ask for investment, that to specifically in “Insurance” schemes for providing the lockers.

Many of us look banks as safe place to keep the hard earned money. The banks earn just because people like us have faith and keep long and short term deposits. Candid chat with the bank executive narrated an insight. Every employee working in the bank from sales to operations are given targets to achieve targets by selling insurance product. So every time you want any value added service from bank they greet to ensure that they would generate revenue through sale of insurance. 

Bottom-line:

Just thank God !! for Good Governance as he did not handover air, oxygen, water, sunlight to bankers !! 

LiFE & deATH !!

Life and death are the two faces of the same coin. We love and show lot of affection to our loved ones when they are alive. It becames our moral not to abandon them, just become they are no more. The emotions and memories keep us hunting us when we rewind ourselves. The time we spent together, the fights we had together and moment of fun we had together.  Every religion has a day to remember the departed loved ones. Today as I crossed the Christian cemetery I found candles lighted on the graves, aroma of the burning instinct sticks and loved ones paying homage to the departed dear ones. Tears flowing down, people consoling and offering condolence. The weeping tears express the affection and remembrance.
Today few people plan the birth based on the astrology and auspicious timings. Thninking and assuming the future would be bright and will touch the success through colours. But nobody plans their death. Death is something tarring and scary. However the best part of each of us death is the wish on the death. Every one wish to die a comfortable death without any struggle and giving much trouble to others. Many wish to die on auspicious day and love to have a big crowd to mourn the loss.
Many thoughts come across the mind; every religion practices the day to remember the departed souls. In some graveyards there are lot of candles, flowers and people standing. Many graves looks empty without anyone. Today we are in a world of technology, where every thing and activity need to be online without having any troubles. However we are always busy and have no time to express our love  and gratitude for a minute near the grave for the loved one.

Bottom-line It is not that death can be evicted, but we are born to die. However the days & time we spend by our good deeds are the promise of better rewards after death. The day is just an reminder that we are just visitors in this world. Some visitors are lucky that they can enjoy each moment in their journey. But reminds that we are made of mud and we will go into mud.

DisParITY

Every day there are many thoughts that strike each one of you in our day to day interaction with people or while reading any article. We also find lot of issues on disparity among the rich, middle class and poor people. The gap between all these are so huge and growing that it won’t be of any surprise if an revolution takes place in future. I find many people working hard just to earn bread to feed their family at least once. On the other hand when I visit the restaurants we find people wasting the food. Where does it go ? is the thought ! 
The last 10 years and so, we have read the stories of Shining India, published, propagated in the media and politicians delivering their speeches publishing their achievements. Is this growth Inclusive ? or just for some layer of people, who are already well established and leading a niche life? In many places we see the banners on 
“prohibition of child labor , however if we visit any restaurants we always find the child labors working or cleaning. The salary they earn is in peanuts compared to IT industries. Many a times i think what the chief or CEO of any company do so differently that he is paid in astronomical figures. Are their salaries and perks justified ? By the way whose money is it, the small time share holders and stakeholders? It is true that the decision made by the MD / CEO of any organisation either would take the organisation to the traciatory growth path or just wipe out from the business. However the point that harps is that all these decisions are made on the facts & data provided by the lower grade employees, who work and not get benefited as that ... 
The growth story of India shinning has provided an opportunity to all in India to experience the mall culture, that once was the highlight of western countries. All though these big brand retail & mall culture have provided opportunity for employment and earning but these earning can only feed the family and not prospers. The prosperity of these approaches is only for the owners. The poor man can visit these malls and experience the look and wonder for the marvelous but cannot purchase. Because the so called growth is not inclusive.

The IT revolution changed the living standard of people working in these industries, making people working in other industries envy and develop an inferiority complex among themselves. It has created an division among the workforce. Everyone is aware of the shortcut of cut & paste, and organisation have created this by coping and pasting from western culture to form “Outsourced”. In many organisations the core operations are also outsourced just to ensure profits, what about the benefits of the outsourced employees ? they are robbed of their benefits and dignity. They are made to work hard and the employees of the organisation hardly work. Till what time shall these guys suffer ? And all these efforts and results of such operations from outsourced workforce is benefited by rise in salary & perks of the senior management of organisations. The percentage of profits are shared apart from the percentage regular increments.
It is just mockery making the increments standard across the organisation. The person who earns more gets more and more, the person earns less is happy about the increment % but is of no use. The inflation is same be it rich or poor ?
Only time will have to say !

Snake & ladder

Today as I stepped out of my house, I found little kids throwing the dice and playing the indoor game " snake and ladder". It was a flashback on my childhood days, the funny, cunning moments playing with my brothers and friends to win the game and always safe from the mouth of snake.


But the thought that came to my mind, is there any significance of learning which we forget to teach or to learn from the game of snake & ladder ?


We just try and use all the means that are available by hook and crook to win the game. As I started reflecting on the game and its teaching or leaning with respect to the life and this world we live - I can correlate every hiccups, troubles, misunderstandings, greed, diseases are snakes that always brings pains and sometimes becomes the barricade for progress . But empathy and sympathy are the ladders that gives us Joy for happiness in life.


However human nature is something that gets satisfied, and greed goes high every time. We always play to win but not lean the hidden meaning in it.
The best example of real life scenario of the game of snake and ladder is the corporate office, every one - Good, Bad and Ugly wish to climb the ladder of success - the ladder here is knowledge, skill and attitude to do the best. But the snakes at the corporate sector is favorism, politics, bulling, etc.


Bottom-line


life is difficult. "life is complex t h e r e are no easy answers - Thinking is difficult. Thinking is complex. And thinking is—more than anything else – a process, with a course or direction.
a lapse of time, a n d a series of steps or stages that lead to some result.

FACE LIFT !!

When I was very young, we could very rarely see an aeroplane flying in the sky. One day an Fighter Jet was flying high in the air, and did some stunts across our town. Whole school came out just to see the fighter jet, which was making a loud noise. After few days, the school teacher told the pilot was the student and hence we all had an opportunity to view.
Earlier, traveling by air, meant only for the business class and rich people. Lot of stories were told and the journey was described as if someone has a great achievement in life time. The poor / middle class traveled in those time only when they were offered a Job in gulf or other countries.
The liberalization and Globalizations of Indian economy in 90's became a game changer. The complete scenario of air travel changed, traveling in a airplane was just like travelling in Govt bus. When I booked air tickets for my parents and travelled with them from Bangalore to Bombay, I could feel the happiness and something they were proud about. Way back at our native, parents had their own experience of 1 hour journey to share with the relatives and neighbors. It was for them some something life time achievement.
One thing that come to my mind, is the "Air Hostess". I do not wish to describe their beauty - because it’s one more coat of Asian paint applied on the beautiful face to get facelift !
But I always admire the gesture of showing the 32 teethes, at the beginning and end of the each journey just fascinates me.
I understand they are also human beings like me, with ups and downs being a part of life, but putting a brave smiling face each time every time is something commendable.
Even people working in front desk ! always Smiling !!!
Agree Face is the Index of Mind, and smile is just the trigger to fool people of showing how happy they are !!

Spare + Oh+ Day !!

When I was staying in a Apartment in Mumbai, I could never find a Sparrow, With high density of population and few number of trees and lot of noise one cannot expect a sparrow. Only bird which can be found in and around Mumbai was Pigeon! Thanks to temples and few more people who feed them and encourage these pigeons to grow !
When I visited my native just few months back, in the lemon tree of my house, I found a bunch of sparrows ticking and quacking the leaves. sometimes these sparrows come inside our house and make a sound.
Today I am working down at south, which is not crowded as Mumbai, but has few trees more then mumbai, still I notice not a single sparrow. However happy that some pegions have made their way towards my apartments and spend their time sitting on the window shade.

Thoughts !
Today the world celebrates, World Sparrow day ! What a complexional. we have made so much concrete jungle, that these birds have become very few. Once very village and town had sparrow and each house as the sunlight falls on the door, these birds were found.
Its ironic that these are becoming rare species. Time only can predict, in future will our Children will be able to identify sparrow or these will be in Museum or zoo, captured inside the cage and struggling to get freedom.

The idiot word "Goal" !! !

When I was kid, I heard the word "Goal”, To hear and shout this word, I used to feel happy. It meant we have scored against the other team, while playing football. Every football player and fan is well versed at this word. When you enter into so called "corporate world", you once again hear this word. The word "Goal" is like "Sword", which has the ability to dismiss the person based on the performance. There are companies where the Goal is written on the walls. In every assessment that the organization undergoes, a group of so called Wiseman(Auditors) test the employees weather they know how these are cascaded in there department & into individual.
Many people does not understand what this “ Goals are & its importance ”. I feel sucked when I hear this word Goal. My class teacher, in Seventh standard - used to utter every week "Life without Aim, is like Bow without Arrow ". I still remember the teacher and her words, its humming in my ears. During my childhood days I could not understand what that meant to me. I used to think, then why you need bow and arrow? When you don’t want to aim and kill any animal.
When I was in Tenth Standard our drawing teacher at the end of the academic year wanted to know what we wish to be in future. You may agree that every boy Or girl from south India wish to become either doctor or engineer. But nobody wish to become Criminal or Police or even Teacher.
I said I am interested in Engineering, but didn’t knew is it Diploma Engineer or Graduate Engineer! what and which stream, which colleges etc. But many of my classmates said Engineers, Doctors, bankers, Accountants, and so on. When I reconnect my bench mates of school, I feel happy that 2 are doctors 3 are engineers and 1 Tax consultant. But the fact of the matter is no body are in touch neither through virtual means.

Many a times, I get screwed up when some do ask me what is your future Goal ! I get irritated by this word. When we don’t know our present ? what difference it makes on Future ??. Whole day & night hear, propagate and use all the known Management Jargons on Goal and end of the day at home I once again hear this ! Irritation word Goal !

My thought
What brings back to my mind is - is Goal necessary ? Without Goal cant we live happily ? How Goal makes a difference ?.
When I closely observe a number of people, working hard in life just to get their daily bread - Why should this hell goals is required ?
Is Goal - to become rich ? or to make lot of money and lead a life without peace ?
Ultimately Goal only brings stress and disturb the peace of mind

Bottom-line
I agree, and I have read many self help books, audios on Goals and Goal Setting.
But ultimately one has to leave this world and go in a simple clothes. The clothes on the final day does not have pockets to keep all the accolades & achievements !
So what ?
Goal is required ?

Why not a simple living having peaceful life be a goal ! that could relate humanity with happiness !! So What ??