What's in a name?

A few days ago, I was at a kennel set up by a friend. The gent, is a most interesting person. Fighter pilot, commercial airlines pilot and now security dog trainer.He remids me of Capt. Haddock from the Tintin comics. Gruff and irratable, but a wonderful guy. Well, at the kennel, I bumped into different breeds of dogs, and with my limited knowledge about them could make out an Alsatian. My friend kept calling it a 'German Shepperd'. Apparently the said dog is a wonderful security dog & was put to good use in the German army and police during WW2. The British, understanding the efficacy of the dog, adopted it, but anything German, was anathema, in Britain, at that point of time so they simply changed the name and called the dog- Alsatian!

Many years ago, at Mumbai airport, while checking in, I was hailed from another 'Q'. There was this chap, in Bermudas, flowery shirt & cotton floppy hat, with sneakers. He introduced himself as Ram and from my school. I'm particularly bad with names and could not place the bloke. To cut to the chase, Ram had an enormous amount of luggage and was asking if I could check some in under my name to avoid excess baggage for him.He would have to fork out a good deal of cash, for the over the limit luggage. Back in the 1980's we were more innocent and I agreed, but I still could not place the guy, American accent and all...............As we spoke, he said he had just returned from the 'States' and was going home to Vizag, the American twang being unmistakable.

With sudden insight, I remembered his name and asked him if he was called 'Shantaram' back then? His smile was a bit sheepish as he said yes, but he had dropped the 'Shanta' part. Too old fashioned, you see. Going forward, I asked him, what he was doing in the US of A? He said, no, " I'm just returning from a two week holiday!. I live in Vizag." I had great difficulty in keeping a straight face. After we landed, and he got his luggage,Ram said, he would have invited me home, but would be busy travelling on business and hoped that I would not mind............!

So, what's in a name?

Happy New Year!

On Edge!

A sobriquet long lost is that of Bengaluru being a 'Pensioner's Paradise'. What it has gained in glitz, glamour & energy has been at the cost of a laid back lifestyle and a gentle civility.While the rapid and many say rabid commercialisation of this town has troubled many, the recent spate of high profile murders has really thrown the spanner in the works.

An IT staffer slitting the throat of his wife. A BPO employee being brought down in her prime. What next? Invariably the finger is pointed to a helpless police.However a closer look at what caused the killings would indicate a breakdown in moral values rather than that of law and order.

A fairly senior policeman told me " What can the police do if a husband wants to murder his wife?" I guess that is a question that, society will have to answer. A while ago, I had said that Bengaluru will be the next hub for innovation, simply because it offers the immigrant a cloak against failure and so allows greater risk. Unfortunately it is this cloak that allows many to cross the line in crime as well.

There are no easy solutions. Lifestyles that are driven by material needs are the order of the day and I do not see that changing in the near future. A society driven by aspiration is good as long as it is ready to wait for its just reward. The issue is when we attempt to take shortcuts, driven by peer pressure, to find solutions.Could the IT staffer have divorced his wife rather than killing her? Was the process too long & torturous? Instant gratification can dish out immediate penalties, like the gent is finding out in jail awaiting his sentence.But then who can wait?

A friend, while gently stroking his petunia's, peered at the humongous traffic on the adjacent road and sighed.The sigh, told the story of a city lost, to a generation.....................!A city on edge, to another.

Foot in the mouth!

Mired in the 2G scam, rising prices of onions and a moribund lower house of parliament, Congress points man Digvijay Singh, emerged the other day with all guns blazing.He brazenly labelled the Hindutva parties as 'Nazis'.

Not surprisingly the saffron brigade was up in arms and responded with all sorts of counter allegations. If Singh was attempting to divert attention from the various scams' that his party finds itself in, I doubt if he has succeeded.

The interesting point in this whole shindig is why did Singh, compare the Hindutva brigade to the Nazis? The Nazis were socialists, which the Hindutva parties, do not claim to be. The Nazis decimated six million Jews, who were rounded up like cattle, from all over Europe and then either worked to death or gassed in various prison camps ( concentration camps ), not before hideous experiments were carried out on them, in the name of humanity and science. I highlighted 'Concentration Camps', because this was the handiwork of the white apartheid Government of South Africa, before the Nazis came about.The Hindutva brigade in India just do not have the capacity to run such a pogrom, not that they have shown an interest. Also, the point remains, as to who are they going to target in India? Is Singh referring to the well documented religious support that Hitler received in Germany, in decimating Jews?

In the midst of the circus, the Government of Israel, issued a terse one liner....asking ignorant politicians to understand the full purport of the Holocaust and not use the tragic deaths of millions of Jews to settle political scores.

Maybe Singh could take a conducted tour of standing concentration camps in Poland & the erstwhile Soviet Union, with a stop over at Nuremberg, to get a better understanding of what Nazi Germany did.

The trip, during summer in Europe at tax payers expense of course!

The CEO game...............

One of the most evolved sports is golf. Golf has attained, somewhat of an elite status, simply because the players are nattily dressed and seem to have overflowing bank balances. Every top CEO seems to want to head to the golf course, to strut the green and exchange yarns over a pitcher of beer. Golf is a kind of exclusive club where the bourgeois don't venture.Apparently it is a setting for networking and building relationships.

I'm not a great fan of golf, the reason being that, I feel its a game for the geriatric, who had more time than skill on their hands. However what I admire is its inclusiveness. The worse you play, the bigger is the handicap that you receive, to get you up to to speed with the rest. This means two things:

#1. You can swing a club, with Tiger Woods and not feel ashamed. ( Assuming that is, he shares an interest in you )
#2. If you lose, you can blame the handicap.

The handicap, is a wonderful tool and many of us adopt it to live life easier. Social handicapping is a wonderful stress buster when used selectively, however it can turn into a major problem if it turns into a habit.

Social handicapping works like this. Just before an examination or major event one falls sick or ill. The rationale is that even if failure occurs it can be blamed on the illness and one need not be accountable.Many folk, down a couple of stiff drinks, of alcohol,before heading out to an important event. They claim it makes them more brave, but in reality they are priming themselves for failure.

There are many many variations of social handicapping and it is a disease. Unfortunately like many malices, many do not even realize that they are a victim till they are fully sucked in.

At the individual level, social handicapping, is a danger, at the Corporate level it is catastrophic. Many organization cultures look elsewhere for their failures rather than within and destroy themselves.

The next time you want to provide yourself a handicap, remember that you are setting yourself up for failure and it is only a temporary prop!Its like buying a lifebuoy before you learn to swim.

As for golf, I wonder if it is a physical sport or a set for a picnic...........

A pat too far!

The last time there was this much talk about a 'pat' was when KPS Gill,the policeman now turned hockey Guru, is said to have patted the rather ample posterior of a lady IAS officer, over cocktails, many years ago. The Sardar, apparently tendered an apology, to the justifiably indignant lady and went on his way.

Last week, yet another lady was in the news. The Indian ambassador to the US, was patted down, by a female security officer, at an airport in the United States, much to the annoyance of the babus in the Ministry of External Affairs. After all a diplomat, is not an ordinary person and how could the Americans do this to us. As Mr. S.M. Krishna, is want to say, 'This is not done'.

Post the event the Indian media, went to town, over the episode.The lady diplomat was targeted, because she wore a 'Saree' and by default the act was racist and in poor taste. My point of view is that, some dumb security staff, just decided to stick by the rule book and did their job thoroughly. It is a fact that the Americans are paranoid about terror attacks and the paranoia shows in their dealing with security, which can be pretty dumb.Attributing racial overtones, is overreacting and foolish.

But then I would rather be dumb than dead. The Americans have not had a terror attack on their soil post 9/11.What about us in India? When last heard, the Indians have protested, the Americans have expressed regret and agreed to 'look into' the fracas and all is quiet on the western front!

Games- On & Off the field!

Mind games are intriguing and extremely effective. In sport, the Brits were past masters and effectively passed on the baton to their cousins the Australians.

It would go like this:

Prior to a cricketing tour to India, the British press, would start talking about, the poor hygiene in India, the lack of cricketing infrastructure, the poverty and so on. This would be followed by, comments that Indians could not play fast bowling and so on. The effect of this would be that the Indian cricketers, uncoached in this area would be on the defensive, even before the first ball was bowled.The battle was lost before it began! An old colonial stunt................

Dale Steyn, the South African quick, was at it the other day, just before, the Indians start their tour of SA. He said the Indians would have a problem, scoring against the South African fast bowlers. I was not surprised.

What surprised me was the Indian response...............because generally we absorb this nonsense. This time, the riposte came from 'The Wall', Rahul Dravid. He said, that the Indians had the necessary fire power, to return the complements and the Africans had better watch out.

Now it is intriguing that this response came from Dravid, because he is the quiet types. The silent types.He is also know the world over, as the 'thinker' and the strategist of the Indian team.When he speaks the opposition listens.In Dravid speaking, a few things have been communicated very clearly:

1. Stop the BS and walk your talk on the field.
2. Dale Steyn & Dravid are team mates for RCB in the IPL, even so............its war now.

Mind games while undesirable are part of the game and I'm glad we have learnt to play them, with finesse!

Nautanki!

Everyday, through work days, I pass over the NICE Road, a tolled road, built brilliantly. At the start of the road, I buy a ticket ( 4 minutes) , at the end, I stop to show a bloke, the ticket, to prove that I've bought a ticket ( 4 minutes ). The trip across, the 9 Km is made in an amazing 4 minutes...............
Phew, now that the math is over, lets get on with my spiel...........The actual productive activity, took just about 30 % of the time, while the rest was unproductive. This morning being, not at my best, I gave the bloke at the checking end an old dated ticket. He, glanced at it, smiled toothily, raised the gate and waved me on. All in 4 minutes. The grin vanished, when I told him that the ticket was a week old. His supervisor, joined the fray and was offended, when I asked him if his lieutenant could read at all and why he was there if he was not doing his job, this amidst furious honking from the rear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The point is why do we go through the motions ? Why do we subject ourselves to the 'nautanki'? Many organizations, go through the motions, without accepting the fact that they are doing so, till a critical mass builds and the organization tips over the point of no returns. Most disasters can be traced back to people and processes that were part of a 'nautanki' or drama rather than practise lean and efficient processes.
Efficient organizations audit their processes and people at regular intervals to identify waste and ruthlessly root it out.........................the direct cost of the 'nautanki' to me? A day of my life in a year!!!!!!!
Returning to the road...................the physical infrastructure is brilliant, the human resources, pathetic. The 'nautanki' goes on.The story of many an organization! Hype & super hype!

Sunday School!

The most mundane events can rapidly bring one back to earth. This morning, while on my way back home I stopped over at a shop selling plastic stuff. The intention was to buy plastic pot holders for pots on my balcony.
In the shop was a gent, looking happily uninterested. In my best 'angrazi', I asked the gent if the shop was open, to which he said no. I was surprised and asked him again, to which he again said no. Disappointed & annoyed I trudged off, to a neighbouring electrical shop. Post my purchase, I enquired with the incumbent if there was a plastic shop around, in the immediate neighbourhood. The guy goggled at me and said there was one next door, hadn't I seen it? I said it was not open.....................when the chappie was even more surprised.
To cut to the chase, both of us went next door, to meet our uninterested gent. After a rapid exchange in what sounded like a dialect from Rajasthan, it transpired that the shop was indeed open...............!
The, whole thing was mind boggling & made my head spin. On further enquiry, it transpired that the plastic shop guy thought I was asking for a ' bottle opener', when I asked him if the shop was open! What a mess.
The point is who created the mess. I must take the blame, of trying to be very smart and high context and over communicating, where a simple sentence would have sufficed, in probably Kannada or Hindi.What was I trying to do, communicating to the chap in English? Not only was I overcommunicating but doing so in a not so appropriate language!
Having made my purchase after some spirited haggling, this time alternating between Kannada and Hindi, I departed, not without thinking how stupid I was.This after I teach communication! As a parting shot the shop fellow asked me, why I spoke English, when I could have talked to him in Kannada!!!!
You learn all the time don't you.........................

There are no stupid questions!

As I lecture, to young sparks, in moments of lull, my mind drifts to how safe it is to lecture in a class as against my previous avatar as a sea farer. The reason I make this statement is because the number of seafarers in captivity and held for ransom by Somalian Pirates has crossed the figure of five hundred and has gone largely un-noticed, even as many of us go about our daily business of trying to figure out which restaurant we would like to visit at the weekend or which politician is going to give it to us in the neck, next.

Even as I write this piece, hundreds of seafarers are risking their freedom every day to allow ships to move through the busy international marine corridor linking West with East, called the Gulf of Aden, thereby ensuring that oil, chemicals and gas, food, raw materials and finished products all reach their destinations unhindered. Interestingly it is said that almost everything that floats today has an Indian on board.

But think for a moment of how these seafarers feel as they prepare for a transit of the Gulf of Aden ( How do their families feel? ), studying Best Management Practice specific to their situation, erecting defences such as razor wire and water cannon, practising protective procedures and manoeuvres. Practicing time and again for that one emergency that may surface at short notice.

Over 90% of global trade, including crude oil, goes by sea.Now think for a moment how every one of us would be affected if our seafarers said enough is enough and cargoes were delayed as they were re-routed round South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope or Sea farers demanded increased remuneration as risk and hardship allowance.

A while ago a young gun asked me if pirates really looked like Capt Jack Sparrow, in Pirates of the Caribbean. I said, yes, except that, they had eye patches covering both eyes, instead of one.I did not add that, today, pirates are armed with shoulder fired missiles as against the cutlass that Sparrow, wielded! I was joking, but the sad part is that many of us are operating with blinkers, cloistered in an unreal world, and the description would well suit many who live in a safety that is taken for granted.

Another enterprising youngster asked me, if it was true that a naval man had a wife in every port? While I'm a firm beliver in the dictum, that there are no stupid questions, this one took my breath away and, that is a story that will be reserved for another time...................

3 L's and a career!

As many of my students leave us for industry, a few stop by and ask, what would contribute to a successful career.

While there are many things that lead to success. I think from my experience that the following play an important role:

#1. Language: Who ever said that you could get by without decent language skills was giving you a load of BS.While it is important to have good language skills it is very important to be vigilant enough to detect BS. For example, have you heard somebody say ' Your presentation was wonderful, but..................... . Well everything before the 'but' is BS and can be safely ignored. Other words that should get your sensors up are words like 'only', 'just' and so on. 'There is only a small mistake'. Sit up and take notice, immediately.There is trouble in the offing.

Then there are the power players who use power words like urgent, strategy, important,paradigm to hide real facts and their ignorance. Another trick is to serially drop names of people who are in power and are fairly sure you will not cross check.

At a critical moment in your discussion you will hear the sentence, ' In my last meeting with the General Manager, she said that.....................'. The tactic is meant to strike fear in your heart and get you to shut up, pronto.

#2. Lies: It is a fairly well known fact that folk pad up their resume. What is not very well known is that about 5-10 % are pathological liers and worse are very skilled at the game. The general trick here is not to lie because most lies are not sustainable and you will eventually be found out and more importantly guard against liers by not being overly trusting. Most of us trust and then weep, when we are suckered.

#3. Luck: You bet your last paisa that without this you are doomed. However, you can improve your luck quotient my investing in the following:

a. Practice: Look at Sachin Tendulkar.
b. Persevere: Infosys Narayanamurthy.
c. Prepare: Look to the future and keep the big picture in mind. Don't get lost in small details.
d. Promises: Keep them. That's how you build credibility and folk trust you.You build a network that will cushion you in bad time, and trust me they do come.

Most of all to be really successful, you've got to enjoy the voyage, rough sea's and storms, as well, and watch out for the bullshitter's!Treat them like bubonic plague!

Namma Bengaluru!

It is fairly routine these days to hear of people stamping Bengaluru as the next 'innovation' hub of the world.No less. I first heard it from my friend Bob Hoekstra, erstwhile chief of Philips in India and an avid admirer of the city.So much so, Bob has gone the extra mile in setting up an innovation centre in India and lives a good part of his life in Bengaluru.I was initially surprised, but see the sense in it now.
Every once in a lifetime there comes a time when things fall into place and as Malcolm Gladwell would say, we are at the 'Tipping Point'. Bengaluru's tipping point has arrived and is well recognized.
One of the contributors to its status as the next Silicon Valley, is its highly educated immigrant population and here it has echoed California's Silicon Valley. What drove innovation in the valley? The immigrants of course!Many Indian!
One could argue that Mumbai has just as many immigrants or more. Maybe true, but the qualitative difference is in the education levels of immigrants in Bengaluru. Few other cities come even within sniffing distance.Innovation needs education of the qualitative kind.
The immigrant is an interesting animal. He does not fear failure because he/she is fairly anonymous in a city which is not theirs. This fosters risk taking which is a vital ingredient for innovation and entrepreneurship. Indians fear failure and a person who fails is anathema to our society. An alien city provides the cover of a protective cloak to try, fail and rise again.
Are there challenges? Sure there are........corruption, resistance from earlier settlers to a changing way of life and so on and the former will have to be tackled and the latter respected.
Bengaluru is a melting pot of success and if you are not here you might just be missing history in the making!

Limelight!

A couple of days ago a young man at ABS said that he did not want to choose Human Resources Management as a career because HR's according to his point of view were generally not in the 'limelight'.
Now I do not want to debate the accuracy of this opinion, but rather the idea of being in the limelight...........Is it very important to be the prima donna of a scene or always have the slice of the action? Can we derive satisfaction from the mundane?
In this context I remember a rather interesting story of a lady who worked in a Warsaw ghetto, during the run up to World War 2. The lady knowing the fate of the Jews, went about smuggling Jew babies out of the Ghetto at great personal risk. She spirited 250 infants out......
A couple of years ago she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.............but guess who won, Al Gore, the former American VP, for presenting a 'wonderful piece' on global warming. The lady has since passed on, to hopefully a better world, a fairer world, where being in the limelight is not the sole criterion for living a decent life.
It is this constant requirement to be in the limelight that gets us to miss many of the smaller pleasures of life, after all being in the limelight can be blinding.
Are HR's not in the limelight? The question ruffled a few feathers, in the gathering.
On my way back home, instead os zipping at my 150 KMPH on the NICE road, I made a more sedate 80...............and caught the most amazing sunset, as the setting suns rays bounced off freshly quarried rock. Something I had missed over seven months.

As Audrey Hepburn said..............

There are certain shades of limelight that can wreck a girl's complexion!

Power..........

It is a generally accepted fact that the former American President Bill Clinton, would have gone down as one of the top presidents of all time if only Monica Lewinsky hadn't appeared on the horizon as the fly in the ointment. Now every time Clinton is in the news, you can bet your last cent, that Lewinsky is around the bend & is going to be mentioned.
Now take the case of my other favourite, the great Tiger Woods, who is better remembered for his peccadilloes between the sheets rather than exploits on the green, today.
I'm not delving into the moral side of the story here. Morality is boring, who needs it? My interest is- why did Hilary Clinton soft pedal her husbands indiscretions and fargive her man while in the case of the Woods, the wife got an annulment of their marriage and has since disappeared into the mist of Sweden.
Why?
The reason is probably, not hard to see. Mrs.Clinton, was eyeing the top political spot in the US and looked to be the first woman president.She definitely did not want to get on the wrong side of the electorate and place her chances to be president in jeopardy, with a messy divorce trailing her
Mrs.Woods..............she was happy to take the moolah, and retire!To hell with Tiger.
Two well read women, in a first world country, exercised different options......which was the right way? Who the hell knows?
However it brings to mind the words of Lord Action- Power Corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.Holds true in this sordid drama as well.As for Bill & Tiger, scumbags, who did not hesitate to misuse the power that they had!

Breaking news is that Lord Swaraj Paul, has quit his post and tendered his resignation to the House of Lords, on being suspended for skulduggery..........

The other day I was reading a piece on Theodore 'Ted' Roosevelt, the American President, preceding World War 1. Roosevelt donned various hats, one being that of a ranch owner.Out on a spin, one day, he and a cowboy,noticed an unmarked calf. The next logical step was to brand the bull. The thumb rule was that, the calf belonged to the person or ranch owner, on whose territory the bull was found.

Roosevelt, was surprised to see his cowboy branding the calf with his sign, even though the land belonged to some other rancher and protested as such. The cowboy ignored his boss. After all he was doing him a favour.

The pair rode home quietly, post which, Roosevelt called the cowboy over, paid him his dues, and asked him to leave the ranch. He was fired, with a terse message, 'A person who steals for me, will steal from me'.How true. A simple homily most corporates do not seem to get.

That unfortunately is the unqualified truth. Dishonest people remain dishonest.It is probably the reason, why Tiger Wood's wife gave him the boot..........she understood Tiger better than most.

Strangely, Theodore Roosevelt, is best remembered,for the Teddy Bear, which was named after him!For me.......he was not a hypocrite, because as they say "When a guest starts talking about ethics and morality, its time to hide the good silverware."

Ted walked his talk.

Kenneth Lay, the cowboy, from Enron, is a good example!

A few crores & less......

Many years ago, a twenty day holiday, to Punjab & Himachal Pradesh was capped by a visit to the Wagah Border. This is the place, where our border with Pakistan, stays open but guarded, in Punjab. We have the BSF in India and the the Pakistani Rangers on the other side.

The defining moment is the flag lowering ceremony on both sides, as the sun slips below the horizon to the West bringing on a sombre mood. Flags are lowered, simultaneously, with much aggression, watched on by cheering 'patriotic' citizens who shout their lungs out hoping their voice will be heard in Lahore and Amritsar. I was one of them.The ceremony brings you 'goose bumps' and your heart swells with pride.

Recently, the armed forces of both countries have decided to ditch the aggression and have low key programs. I agree with the sentiment though the ceremony provided much drama and excitement.

Was my voice heard in Lahore? I know not...........however I want my voice definitely heard in Delhi & Mumbai & Bengaluru! The latest scam, is the Adarsh housing scandal with even the CM of Maharashtra being part of the dirty deal. I'm not overtly concerned. Most politicians are corrupt and it is an evil that this country can't wish away in a hurry.What caused concern was that the Armed forces leadership was there too................for a flat on Napean Sea Road.Sea Facing!

The armed forces, a pillar of democracy in this country, is probably the last one worthy of respect, with the legislature, executive & judiciary being compromised time and again. Now the leadership in the armed forces are subject to finger pointing for a few crores.Is that the cost of this country? Is that the cost for selling ones soul? A few crores?

Please, let us have something that we can look up to................

Story of our time........

"To-day do I bake, to-morrow I brew,
The day after that the queen's child comes in;
And oh! I am glad that nobody knew
That the name I am called is Rumpelstiltskin!"

I have no idea, how many of you have read the Brothers Grimm, who about a couple of century's ago, went around Europe collecting stories and then published them.

Of the many stories that I read as a kid, Rumpelstiltskin, has the greatest recall. The name is striking and the characterization of the villain is brilliant.I was afraid, reading the name.The point is how simple it was in the days of yore. Good and evil clearly defined and the forces of evil once identified would be destroyed!The good would live happily ever after.

Cut to the present. The complexities are mind boggling!The good can be evil and vice versa......

The 'good' IT czar is suddenly found to have siphoned off crores of Rupees and short changed his innocent share holders, while the villainous mining Baron, donates a crown worth crores of Rupees to one of India's most famous shrines.

You suddenly find that your sporting icon, has been quietly cheating on his family on the side. Moral turpitude.

Lets go back to Rumpelstiltskin.........here is the caboodle:

A miller lies about the capabilities of his daughter to the king. She can spin gold out of straw ( done today as well, as you inflate your CV ). The daughter cannot deliver and to escape punishment, makes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin ( an evil dwarf ). The evil Rumpelstiltskin, keeps his side of the promise and delivers,but the young pretty girl, now a queen, uses her resources to dump Rumpelstiltskin, now that she is in a happy situation.The dwarf is banished for ever and the queen lives happily ever after.Who was the villan, the dwarf or the queen? Or was it the intent?

I guess the story is a reflection of our times. Many shades to a personality.Maybe a fairy tale, but for me a lesson in management.

As a kid, I cheered the story.I rejoiced at the young girl thwarting the goblin. Today, older and wiser, I'm not sure, mate.........complex, you bet!

A Wonderful Evening!

Saturday evening, saw our apartment complex in the throes of excitement, with a 'Navratri Night'.( belated ) The gig included Gujarati food & the 'Dandiya and Garba'. The event was sponsored by an MNC bank, so that we did not have to fork out too much of money.

I took at shot at the Dandiya and made a couple of sorties,sticks and all, before the cold looks that I got from the pretty girls on the circuit were too much to ignore and I sadly exited to try my luck with the 'Dhokla' and 'Thepla'.

While making my way to the food, I was accosted, by a reasonably portly gent, who apparently represented the sponsoring bank. My wariness turned to angst when he peered at me and called me Capt. Gopinath. I sternly told the bloke that I wasn't the famed ( Air Deccan ) Gopinath and he should step out of my way, pronto, while I twirled the Dandiya sticks, rather menacingly. The chap, once again called me Capt.Gopinath, but added that I had taught him HR. The penny dropped.....sure enough I had taught this guy during my early days at Alliance. The confounded confusion had lifted. For some reason both of us were very excited on discovering each other outside the class room.

The affable guy introduced me to some of his cronies as his 'Guru' and the affection was genuine. As we parted ways the cockles of my heart were truly warmed, on what I thought was a chilly night.

I guess it is a perk of being a teacher!The Gujju food was wonderful.A truly wonderful evening!

Money......one way or the other!

Labour peer Lord Swaraj Paul, was suspended from the House of Lords, in the United Kingdom, last week for allegedly cheating the taxpayer out of tens of thousands of pounds in wrongly claimed expenses. Apprently the Lord cannot be expelled!

It amazes me as to why somebody as rich as the peer would try to deprive the system of its due.What is even more amazing is that the British MP thought he could get away with a simplistic scam that he tried to pull off................

It was found that Swaraj Paul, a steel magnate and one of Britain's wealthiest men, lived in London but designated a one-bedroom flat in an Oxfordshire hotel that he owned as his main home.

The question is 'Are politicians the world over, no different from each other'?

On that note lets look at the business world:

On August 6, 2010, Mark Hurd resigned from all of his positions at HP, following discovery of inappropriate conduct in an investigation into a claim of sexual harassment made by former reality TV actress Jodie Fisher.The probe concluded that the company's sexual-harassment policy was not violated, but that its standards of business conduct were.Hurd said he "realized there were instances in which I did not live up to the standards and principles of trust, respect and integrity that I have espoused at HP" and added that he believed it would be "difficult to continue as an effective leader at HP." In exchange for releasing HP from future litigation, Hurd received $12.2 million in severance, plus vested options and restricted stock for an estimated total of $34.6 million.

What followed was even more bizarre!

Oracle Corporation CEO Larry Ellison, a close friend of Hurd who has also been the object of sexual harassment claims, sent an e-mail to the New York Times saying "the HP Board just made the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple Board fired Steve Jobs many years ago. That decision nearly destroyed Apple and would have if Steve hadn't come back and saved them. HP had a long list of failed CEOs until they hired Mark who has spent the last five years doing a brilliant job reviving HP to its former greatness".

The only sad conclusion that one may draw from these rather distasteful episodes are:

1. The richer you get the meaner you become.
2. The better you are at your job, there is a latitude for indiscretion, that mere mortals are not offered and you are entitled to believe that normal rules do not apply.To me it smells of 'megalomania'.
3. You swing along as long as you do not get caught.

At the end of the day, it is sad that many believe, that one can be dishonest, if you do not get caught and if you do then have friends or a system that can bail you out.

Honor & Ethics! You gotta be kidding......the buzz word are networking and money, any which way you can!

What the eye sees....

Just for a lark, this morning, I sent the picture of the aircraft carrier John F Kennedy, making port at Malta, to a few of my friends.........

The reaction was both interesting and immediate. Some said it was an awe inspiring picture, another said the ship had a peculiar shape and a third that the size was phenomenal. Interestingly, the first time, I saw the picture, my mind skipped the obvious and went straight to the plight of the Captain of this behemoth. He would have had his heart in his mouth, till the ship was safely secured at a jetty.Why did all of us perceive something different in a similar picture? My experience as a sea captain, and experience in similar situations, caused me to sympathize with the captain of the carrier.The others were not sea folk so saw something else.

The point I'm trying to make is that perception comes from our experiences and just as one object can give rise to multiple percepts, so an object may fail to give rise to any precept at all: if the precept has no grounding in a person's experience, the person may literally not perceive it.It is the reason why, experienced people are more perceptive and arguably better problem solvers. It would also follow that people who are more open to learning or experience have richer experiences and would be more valuable human resources, in most settings.

It is also important to realize that we have had diverse experiences in life, so our perception and following behavior can be very different. You can expect the unexpected!

It is something to think about!

Chance!

Have you ever experienced that sense of Deja vu, where you feel external events are in control of your destiny? Did you feel that decisions that you think you have made are nothing but the throw of a dice? Chance..........

The American War of Independence at its height saw a beleaguered General George Washington fighting for his and his fledgling army's survival. Shortly before the crucial Battle of Brandywine ( What a name? ), while patrolling a battle area, Washington,is said to have chanced upon, a British army Captain. The General, turned his back on the British officer and rode away. The captain was the famed Captain Ferguson, inventor of the Ferguson breech rifle, which was a quantum jump in fire power for those days.The young Captain, raised his rifle and sighted Washington. For some reason, he then lowered his rifle!Had Ferguson killed Washington, that fateful day, the war would have most certainly taken a different turn, as the Americans did not have another leader of the stature of the great General. Why did Ferguson not shoot? We have no answer. However in those fuzzy few moments, a single man's decision altered world history..........

Another good example, is that of the great Mughal emperor Akbar. Akbar was firmly under the thumb of his wet nurse Maham Anga, who from all accounts was an irascible bigot. Akbar could not shake her off as he felt obligated, till her son, Adham Khan, in a drunken fit murdered one of Akbars ministers.The Mughal took an on the spot decision to execute Adham Khan, which in turn sent Maham Anga into retirement, allowing Akbar to be a more benevolent ruler and consolidating his kingdom.History changed course in about an hour. Contrast this with his great grandson Aurangzeb who was a bigot and set in motion, the decline of the great Mughals. Had Adham Khan not got drunk.........

Hitler had Europe beaten. In Asia, Japan was coiled to strike. A single German division under Erwin Rommel, had scattered the British in Africa, threatening the Suez Canal in Egypt. Iraq was lost, cutting off the land route for the Brits to India and then Hitler invaded Russia. The single decision cost Germany the war. Why did Hitler take that decision?

Random decisions, making history, that's what makes life interesting...........the throw of dice. Chance!

A Wolf in Sheeps Clothing!

Enemies come in many shapes, sizes and colors...................

A few years ago, the maquiladora industry in Mexico was thought to be the succor of rising unemployment in Mexico. The industry, established along the US- Mexico border, provided cheap goods, manufactured in Mexico and sold in the USA. Cheap labor in Mexico and devaluation of the Peso, aided this industry. It spun jobs for poor Mexicans and was talked about in glowing terms till the skeletons, literally tumbled out of the cupboard, even while providing cheap goods for rich Americans.

The workers, mostly women were, severely exploited, many sexually and poorly paid, with harsh punishment if they dared to buck a rotten system.Murder and rape were common. The Maquilodora industry was sanctioned by NAFTA ( North American Free Trade Agreement ) and signatories to the agreement were forced to closely look at this soul less industry and come up with remedial measures.......

They say history repeats itself and it has in Tirpur, in Tamil Nadu.The textile industry in Tirpur was expected to have brought cheer to thousands of poor women from the region, even so far as to aid them in marriage. Recent studies, have indicated this to be hogwash..............with horror stories of ruthless exploitation and harassment by unscrupulous owners.Many women were apparently paid @ Rs 25 a day, with promise to assist them in marriage later.The aid would have come after three years of abysmal pay. The modus operandi followed to deny the poor workers their due was to sack them just before the three year tenure ended.

What a tragedy, in a state, that prides itself on social progress and a government with a pro poor mandate, handing out TV sets, come elections.. Eventually the greatest enemy is one that is a wolf masquerading in sheeps clothing!

As for the poor workers of Tirpur, they await freedom!

Whistles and Blowers!

This morning, while on the tread mill I struck up a rather interesting conversation with a friend who lives in my apartment complex. The guy has worked with a couple of large IT firms in Bengaluru, one Indian and the other an MNC.
The chat was about the efficacy of policies and procedures in an organization and the level of implementation.( look at my level of commitment, talking shop even at the gym,hahaha) A case in point is the –Whistle Blowers Policy. Most large organization worth their salt has such a policy in place. However post the Satyam scandal; there has not been a single incident, in India, where the whistle has been blown on corrupt workplace practice. Can you believe that in a system as corrupt as ours, there would not be workplace practices worth looking at closely and reporting? Or is it the repercussions of reporting, wrongdoing? The fear?
With sweat trickling down our sides, we moved on to the Performance Appraisal system, in these organizations. On paper the process looks watertight. Three sixty degree feedback, an allowance to challenge your boss, if you do not like what he/she has said about you. However, how often do you find somebody challenging their boss? The answer is –zilch! Does this mean that all appraisals are correct and above board? You’ve got to be kidding to believe that!
I strongly believe that if you have got policies in place and the outcome appears to be too good to be true, then it is exactly that- cooked up results. This is where the top management ought to step in, support the system and closely look at the efficacy of policies that they have formulated and put in place.
The PA system in wrong hands can play havoc, with careers and can be used to elicit all sorts of favors, from people afraid for their jobs. The possibilities are frightening. It is also possibly the reason, why workplace relationships have become transactional and devoid of trust.
Many years ago, when a very senior IT professional, from Infosys, was under a cloud for sexual harassment, the then CEO , NRN, did not bat an eyelid in jettisoning the man, though grapevine said that the accused man was Narayanmurthy’s protege! Zero tolerance- there you have it. It is little wonder, why Infosys, is where it is.
After huffing, puffing and talking for about forty minutes, my friend and I parted ways, he to navigate the mind boggling terrain on the Kanakapura Road, which now resembles a lunar landscape and me to set course for Anekal. On the way home, I bumped into Raju, the security guy, from Nepal. A sprightly young fellow, I like him. Raju was testing out a shiny new whistle and looked satisfied with the ear splitting sound it emitted. In a grey world I’m glad somebody blows a whistle once in a way, somewhere, sometime and feels happy!

Of Shit and Dixit!

Driving out early this morning, with my family to have breakfast at the popular restaurant, 'Mayyas' in Jayanagar, I had to stop as the road was blocked by a group of school kids on a road cleaning drive. As I waited, for the road to clear, I over heard one kid telling another one, while pointing at me, what a beautiful car, the 'Shitty' was.I was nonplussed and angry momentarily, till it hit me. Obviously the kid was referring to my 'Honda City', which is a beautiful car. The City was Shitty to him........

If 'City' can be 'Shitty', can 'Dixit' be 'Dickshit' as called by a New Zealand, TV anchor, on a recent morning show. If you thought it was a fauxpax you would be very wrong, because the anchor, kept repeating his statement, and chortling even as his co anchors desperately tried to correct him. The guy just could not be shut up! He was talking about the Chief Minister of Delhi, Shiela Dixit, no less and getting a kick by deliberately mispronouncing her name!

India has reacted with suitable outrage and has asked New Zealand to talk effective and demonstrable action, against the anchor. Is it going to happen? I doubt, because the anchor, is going to hide behind what is called, 'freedom of speech', in a country far removed from India. To me, the guy is the classical bully- small, a loser, and a bully to boot, who hides behind, a system to attack people who he thinks will either ignore him or not respond, while he gets his high by making his cronies laugh and he keeps his self esteem from dropping further.

I was a little perturbed by the importance India gave the incident, but I guess the best way to tackle bullies to get them , into the spotlight and ruthlessly expose their charade, which has happened.

As for Mayyas, the 'Masala Dosa', in today's parlance was an awesome experience!

The Rough and Tumble!

India's one wicket win over Australia, at Mohali, has warmed the cockles of many an Indian heart. As for me, I'm delighted, particularly, with Ricky Ponting, having to eat 'crow'.Poor Ponting, for all his cricketing skills, has always come off as a person with a perpetual bee in his bonnet.

My first sight of the man, was, when he burst on to the international scene, vaguely resembling, the Hollywood star, Tim Robbins and in possession of the best cover drive that I've seen to date, Tendulakars included. During that series, Ponting was hit on the head by a screaming bouncer, from Bengaluru boy, Srinath.Ponting was floored. ( Srinath, apparently, is the fastest bowler, that India has produced, to date- this for ignoramuses who think vegetarians cannot be quick bowlers )Srinath, trotted up to a shaken Ponting and sheepishly enquired about his health. The response was, straight from the hip- "#### Off', from an incensed Ponting. Srinath was even more sheepish as he walked back for the next ball, head bowed. Cut to the present- Ponting got into a spat with yet another quickie, at Mohali, Zaheer Khan. There was nothing sheepish about Zaheer and his demeanour. He let Ponting have it, leaving Ponting looking disoriented and at a loss for words.Probably Ricky lost concentration for a while as well. The boot was firmly on the other foot!

India has always been, known for its gentleman sports people. Vijay Amritaj, Wilson Jones, Prakash Padukone and even Dravid and Tendulkar, who ignored brats, like Jimmy Connors or Ponting on the field.However I like people like Zaheer & Harbhajan Singh who return the complements and are up to a an old fashioned brawl.It puts things in pesrpective.

Psychologically, the team has turned a corner. We are not intimidated, before the match starts and are up to the rough and tumble of mind games.Does this reflect in our national psyche- Yes I think it does and I'm glad!

Live & fight another day!

Having time to spare over a long weekend, I watched Kathryn Bigelows 'Hurt Locker', once again and noticed a few nuances that I had missed earlier.The dark underbelly of battle is there to see but one gets to watch the how war touches the everyday lives of people in its perimeter and by default those connected to the front line actors.

Staff Sgt.William James, is a man possessed with a passion for his job, that can best be described as dedication beyond the call of duty, but does that entail or give him the right to disregard safety protocol of his bomb squad and endanger his team? Does it give him the right to distance himself from his family back home.
The movie is a managers delight because it brings in management facets that occur on a regular basis at the workplace.

It is interesting that in high risk jobs, such as being part of a bomb disposal unit, you need people who have a strong conscientious streak in their personality, rather than gung ho cowboys who place, their fellow workers at risk while pursuing personal agendas on the field of Battle.A poignant moment is when he places his team in danger and then risks his life to rescue a captured soldier. Brilliant!

Good organizations select people on attitude, a throw off from their intrinsic personality.People believe that you can teach employees most things if they have the chutzpah and the right attitude.

As William James spends more time on the job, his recklessness grows and he finds that he does not have a life without his profession.On returning home, the mundane jobs, that he does comes as a culture shock and his now 'divorced' wife is not interested in his exploits in Iraq. A classic expatriates tale of woe!

It also brings home the point that high pressure jobs not only lead to burnout but also lend a touch of insanity, which may pass off as skill and bravado.

The irony of the tale, for me, is that Jame's predecessor, who is killed in action, is the epitome of safety and a great team person, while James the quintessential cowboy lives to tell his tale. Napoleon the French emperor is once said to have said ' I don't need good generals, I want lucky ones!'

I can live with that!It is that luck which gives you that second chance to live and fight another day.........

Of one project and the next!

One story is set to go on line as another dies.Orissa, one of India's, least developed states, has seen a flurry of infrastructure projects over the last few years as the state attempts to play catch up, with the rest of India.Not without controversy, of course.

Dhamra, slated to be one of India's deepest ports is all set to go on stream in the near future. The port can take ships which have a draft of 18 meters which is pretty awesome when you compare it with Kolkata, which can accomodate craft of about 9-10 meters.

The port jointly developed by Tata Steel and L&T, has remained on course for completion despite, a few hiccups created by Greenpeace. The environmental activists alleged that the marine activity in the area was destroying marine line, particularly, Olive Ridley Turtles. Charges and counter charges were hurled, maps were bandied about,marine biologists brought on board and the project stayed on course.............One of the fall outs of the project on the positive side has been improved health care, education and housing, for people in the area.

Cut to the absolute present. Vedanta, the mining major, has not been so lucky. Their operation off the Niyamgiri hills, was stalled by the Environment Ministry.The repercussions were immediate. Vedanta terminated, contracts given to L&T, which laid off 5000 contract labor, who straight away went on the rampage and destroyed property. This was just the beginning. What about development, for the apparently very poor tribals, in the area? No schools, no health care and no chance for an easier life.Youngsters in the area are dreadfully disappointed, because they saw, Vedanta, as a way out of dreadful poverty.

We are not able to get development to remote areas, for reasons which range from the environment to poor governance, to apathy and when folk drift to urban cities, everybody moans, at the pressure that they put on a cities infrastructure. In recent times the Shiv Sena's angst about 'outsiders' flooding Mumbai, is a case in point.States 'exporting' poorly skilled labor, are a cause for concern, for this country.Development has costs and the fine balance is to be struck by those who govern us.

As for Dhamra, I'm looking forward to visiting, the port, some day and Niyamgiri the workers who lost their lively hood!

A whiff of the sea!

This morning as I sat sipping my first cup of coffee, looking down happily at a couple of brightly colored birds, circling a thicket, I was in bliss. My balcony is a wonderful observation post.Rather short lived though as my son, broke in and asked me if I knew what a 'storm jib' was. The glint in his eye indicated that he was fairly certain that I did not.

However I know what a jib sail is and by extension what a storm jib is. Exploring further, I got to learn, that he was reading a lesson in English which concerned a family on a sea adventure, on a sailing boat, in choppy seas.

I could smell the salty sea, as we talked about more nautical terms.....the circling birds banished from my thoughts. I was in a canter now, nicely warmed up on the subject, as I felt that I was best qualified to deal with this lesson on sailing ships and rough seas.I even offered my son, the possibility of visiting his school and taking this lesson. I could also, throw in a few pirate stories for good measure.

Much to my chagrin, I found my pupils interest waning and him edging away. I coldly enquired if he did not want to know the technical nuances of the story or what? I know of his disinterest, in taking to the sea as a profession, but knowledge was knowledge, and it was good to delve in depth into something that you do not know too much about.


Apparently that does not hold good anymore.......you read to pass an exam or score marks.That too English as a language, get it done with and over with. Knowledge be damned.As far as I'm concerned, this policy is fatally flawed as an approach. Cognitive skills develop, when you experience and understand, varied scenarios in adequate depth and not by skimming the surface.The key terms are varied and depth of experience.

This is Gen Y and who can argue or do I feel bad because an opportunity to talk at length about the sea..................who knows but I do care!

As for the birds, they were joined, by a few more, possibly their friends or relatives tweeting away with gusto, calming my troubled mind but leaving the whiff of the sea in the balmy air, with thougts of sailing ships and choppy seas.

Where does the buck stop?

The recent spat, between, the governments of Japan and China, was very interesting on a number of counts.

The story.......

A Chinese fishing boat skipper, by design or otherwise, strayed into Japanese territorial waters off a disputed island, called Senkaku Islands, in the East China Sea, North East of Taiwan. Worse the boat collided with a Japanese Coast Guard ship and the Chinese skipper was arrested and promptly shipped off to Japan for trial.

From China, the reaction was fast and furious. The Japanese ambassador, was summoned over six times, once at 2 AM, and a demand was made for the immediate release of the fishing boat skipper.All this for a fishing boat skipper, nosing around a group of uninhabited islands.

Contrast this with our reaction to the Common Wealth Games imbroglio. Yesterday, the Prime Minister of India, is said to have pulled up the Minister of Sports. The question is where does the buck stop? Who is accountable for the mess? Is being pulled up a good enough penalt

Latest reports indicate that the Japanese have released the boat and its skipper, only to have the Chinese up the ante and demand a state apology from the Japs. Nobody is in any doubt, where the buck stops here!

The cost of cheap labor....................

Over the years my apparel at home has been shorts and a sweat shirt. While this might sit well on a twenty something, it has begun to look rather unseemly now. ( or so I have been told )To get over this, I made my way, one evening, recently to a rather upmarket mall on the Bannerghatta Road, here in Bengaluru, to buy a 'night suit'.
My upbeat mood soon turned sour as I was spun from one counter to the next. I faithfully, toured Jockey, Levis, Tommy Hilfiger and even Adidas.........finally losing my cool when directed to the ladies lingerie section, by a bumbling sales person who was evidently poorly trained & probably even more poorly paid.
The floor, Asst.Manager, an MBA, after a flurry of activity, told me that night suits were out of stock, for the moment, but I could return later. I was beaten and retreated, with my tail between my legs, swearing never to return.
The point is, many of us seem, to confuse the labor rate and the cost of labor. Many establishments home in on cheap labor rater try to figure out the cost of that labor.Cheap labor with poor productivity, is in essence, costlier, than skilled labor who can deliver, at what is seemingly a higher labor rate.
Who would you have had to head the committee for the Common Wealth Games, at Delhi ? A career politician, or, a professional who on the face of it appears costly? I guess, in retrospect, that is a no brainer......

As saying goes, don't mistake, motion and progress........and for the moment, I press on with the shorts!

A camel is a horse........

A camel is a horse designed by a committee” Committee decision-making has been criticized for producing ugly, generic results.

Never the less, I love committees where constructive conflict exists and there is a vigorous exchange of ideas and thoughts. In the least it precludes 'group think' and one person hijacking a committee.

As the Common Wealth Games, of Delhi sinks further and the city adds a new chapter to its history, one wonders what the CWG committee was up to? Why and how did the committee, headed by a career politician, allow the situation to come to such a pass.

If the camel is really a horse designed by a committee, then, this was a committee which was full of ideas and probably acted after getting everybody on board. The CWG is the antithesis.

People who dissent in group gatherings can be a pain in the backside, but they serve a vital role.An acrimonious pair were the former British Prime Ministers Blair and his successor Brown. At the height of their conflict, Blair, received advise that he should boot Brown out of his cabinet. Better sense prevailed and he did not.

Lyndon Johnson, the American president, put it more aptly, when he is said to have said:

It's better to have a person inside the tent and pissing out rather than, having him outside pissing in!!!!!!


Well said indeed.........a view I endorse........................

KISS!

Few of us are so blessed as to be good at everything that we attempt to do and as children it gives us sleepless nights to be thinking of the approaching math exam or the test on social studies which is just beyond the horizon. Hindi gave me the heebijeebies, through school.

How do we respond to this nightmare scenario? We devote a lot of good time in trying to shore up weak areas! We concentrate on our weaknesses.

Now look at the following scenario.

Tatum O'Neal, the talented young Hollywood actor won an academy award at ten years, for her role in Paper Moon and her acting career was underway. At fourteen, while on the sets of 'International Velvet' since she was under aged and not attending school regularly, she was visited on the sets by an 'Education Inspector', who told Tatum that her marks in math was a cause for concern. Tatum's response was, to the effect that, he should not worry since she would hire an accountant when she grew up!In other words she refused to be drawn away from her primary strength, which was acting.

She followed the KISS principle, which would translate as 'Keep It Simple Stupid'.
I wish all of us could be that way.......and not squander resources pursuing weaknesses.

Situational Awareness!

There is this story, where, Sherlock Holmes and his lieutenant Watson are striding down, a London sidewalk, deep in conversation, when Holmes, without breaking a stride remarks- " She must be very beautiful"!

Watson is bewildered, cause it is out of context and Holmes is generally not prone to talking women. More so because the only other people, are two young men approaching them from the opposite direction.............

Holmes seeing his friends confusion, tells him that there is a woman behind them and sure enough there is a strikingly pretty girl walking up! Watson's next query is, "How did you know, without looking back?" Holmes simply says " I saw the way the two young men looked behind us and the deduction was easy..........."

Simple as it may seem, one of the great detective's strengths was his 'situational awareness'. Holmes was never ever taken by surprise by a situation.He was always aware of what was going on around him...............a far cry from how many of us are!

Education is great but being aware is more so..........

Why this spiel?

A day ago, two sailors were kidnapped for ransom, from a dredging ship in Cameroon. The ship belongs to a Belgian firm and one of the biggest in the business. The Luxembourg-flagged dredger, belongs to Jan De Nul and the crew kidnapped were a Croatian and the other a Filipino.The kidnappers- thugs from Nigeria! The classic receipe for an International incident.......Was the MNC situationally aware? Your guess is as good as mine!

Substance over Style!

The man who once famously is said to have said, that ‘Indian actresses are like chicken. They can be laid anytime’ is at it once more. Imran Khan, former Pakistan fast bowler and politician says that, the cricket match fixing nexus operates out of Mumbai possibly implying how innocent cricketers from Pakistan are lured into a den of vice and dishonesty. The spot betting saga, which has landed Pakistan’s cricket into a sinking vortex, is the point of discussion.Imran goes on to say, that the malice exists across the cricketing world, further confusing the issue.
Mohammed Aamer, the sixteen year prodigy from across the border is cited to have strayed from the straight and narrow, due to his inexperience, lack of education and direction from more senior colleagues in the Pakistan cricket team. While tragic, this is an argument law enforcers are not going to buy.
Evidently there is a deep rot in the Pakistani system, which needs to be addressed by them and the cancer cannot be wished away by attributing their ills on an India, that till not long ago was considered to be staid and boring. If the Khan would have his way, he would attribute the floods and the ‘Talibanization’ of Pakistan to Indian complicity.
Attributing your ills on an external source is a wonderful short term trick, to keep you going, but in the long run leads one up the garden path. You want to hit solid gold, not be a flash in the pan. Substance always scores over style, is my call! As for the Khan, maybe he could take an inward peek….

Perils of Leadership!

Ernst Hemmingway, the much acclaimed and celebrated American author, was asked as to why he deserted his wife and little child for another woman. Hemmingway simply said ‘Because I’m a bastard!’Do we remember, Hemmingway today, as a scumbag or as a great author, who won the Nobel Prize? The latter would be true, I think.
Mahatma Gandhi will go down as one of the world’s greatest transformational leaders of all time and is remembered for that, not for the neglect that his family went through due to his enormous sacrifice. Leadership comes at a steep price that many a mortal is not ready to bear.
Winston Churchill was a washed up back bencher, when Hitler started World War 2, resurrecting his dead career. Churchill seized the moment and went on to become a great politician.
Adolf Hitler was an effective leader; till his megalomania took hold and he lost it all.
As I teach leadership, I grapple with multiple facets to a leader and leadership. Leadership is a complex area, contextual and situational, where the results determine the leader’s efficacy. There is no room for an also ran……….
Paul Gauguin the genius and post impressionist painter fled France for Tahiti, deserting his family,by sea, where he created his masterpieces..........what if the ship had sunk onvoyage.Would we have heard, of Gaugin the genius? It might have well been Gaugin the wretch!

The color pink!

For reasons that I cannot fathom, the color pink, is associated with femininity. Should men choose to wear the shade, they are looked at askance and in extreme cases, their sexual orientation is questioned.

I wonder why ? When I was growing up, pink was a pretty good color to have on you and perfectly straight people could be found in pink suits.Not today, though!

The good news is that, over the last couple of weeks, both Roger Federer and Nadal have been swatting the tennis ball in pink. Now you cannot question their manliness can you?

The genesis of the issue seems to be World War 2, Nazi concentration camps, where homosexual men were marked by a pink triangle apex down. Today this has become a symbol of gay rights!

In an era where we shun discrimination and embrace diversity, petty prejudices seem quite quixotic.

Folk, what's your take?

We no speak Americano!

Phew, the Americans have done it again!This time around, the French are up in arms, because they are pained at the Americans trifling with their culture and how? Apparently, McDonald's, the burger emperor, has put up an advertisement with Astrix, the little Gaulish warrior,eating potato wafers and biting into a burger.

Now Gaul ( France ) was a Roman colony and away from reality, it is little Astrix who along with his plump friend Obelix who keeps the Roman hordes at bay. The French are proud of their little comic hero and to have him be seen chomping on a burger, is anathema to the French.Its a non negotiable no no.....The French see it as an invasion of their culture and erroneous appropriation of a symbol of the French.

The ruckus has caught the American burger maker on the wrong foot and I'm sure the advertisement will disappear in a hurry. But, who will tell the blokes- 'It's all about culture man!' American culture gaffes in France are legendary!

A Kidds tale.....

I love today's young generation, really so. They are smart, confident, open and fun.They pursue their goals with single minded focus.They are the new India and in many ways I'm glad.........because like most others, hope is what we live on.

Having said that I'm reminded of a rather interesting story:



William Kidd better known as Captain Kidd was a superb seafarer and a simple Britisher, that is till English sent him on a mission off Africa to quell marauding pirates, close to Madagascar.

Captain Kidd, strangely , turned pirate himself and a ferocious one at that, attacking British ships that sailed those waters. He was dreaded.The British tried in vain to bring him to heel, but the pirate Captain was always one up........

Eventually, Britain offered him full pardon if he surrendered. Kidd did and was taken captive on his return from the Indian ocean. The British then, tried and sentenced him to hang. Strange for a Government that ruled an Empire.

The Captain's last words were:

'This is a fickle & faithless generation'

Of Flags & trysts!

I watched with bated breath as attempts were made to unfurl, India's flag, at our apartment complex, yesterday. Getting the flag, to unfurl, properly at the head of the mast or flag pole is tricky.
Karnataka's Chief Minister,found this out much to his dismay, yesterday, when repeated tugs at the lanyard yielded no results and he was made to look foolish at the state level function.Apparently an enquiry has been initiated, with the usual finger pointing

A few years ago, the flag was unfurled upside down in West Bengal and if I remember right Kerala followed suit.This is sometimes seen on ships which come to India.

Grave offence though, one can understand foreigners making a mistake,but Governments?
Our flag represents us as a nation and this flippancy is appalling.Soldiers die fighting for the flag that we take for granted.

On a nicer note, our flag unfurled after a couple of smart pulls and post singing the national anthem we got ourselves some welcome breakfast!

Happy Independence Day!

Problem Solving

A few days ago, a few students walked into my cabin, as they had an issue with their class presentation. I said the presentation was all right and the root of the problem lay in their English speaking skills ( which were limited )

The real issue is that, youngsters, congregate around people ( friends ) from their own region and so get little opportunity to speak English......and improve, which reminded me of the following story.

France, under Gen.Charles De Gaulle was, tenaciously holding on to their Algerian colony, amidst growing violence and opposition. The Governor General, in Algeria, Jacques Soltes, bitterly complained to De Gaulle, that his friends criticized him for following the General's policies.

De Gaulle, an impatient man, replied with a terse one liner ' Changez vos amis'.

Change you friends.It is the solution to many problems.I could not come up with better advise!

East & West!

The Great Library at Alexandria, was said to be a treasure trove of important books & classical literature ( Greek ).The Arabs, on a roll, captured the city in the seventh century.

The Arab General, is said to have asked the Caliph in Baghdad ( Omar ), as to what was to be done with the museum and its contents.

The terse reply was as follows:

If the books contain information that already exists in the Koran ( Islam's holy book ), then there is no need for such books. If they contain information that is not there in the Koran, then too there is no such need for the books ......................because the information is of no consequence.

It is said that the books in the great library were used to heat water in the public baths or 'hamams' of the city and the fires were kept burning for six months. What a tragedy?

Many years later, the German army retreating out of France ( WW2 ), were leaving Paris,when the German general overseeing the retreat received a telegraph from Hitler- 'Burn Paris to the ground'. The general was appalled and did not comply with this order. He stood his ground, even when a furious Fuhrer kept asking 'Is Paris Burning?'

Paris was saved and we get to see the wonderful monuments in Paris to this day.

For me the two stories are indicative of Eastern & Western cultures. In the East, where Power Distance, is large, we tend to follow orders, if they emanate from a superior. The West is more questioning, in its approach!

Mumbai Again......

The tragedy off Mumbai port where two ships flying the Panaminian flags collided a few fays ago was waiting to happen. With the container ship shedding oilthe situation is very serious, for the residents of Mumbai. Also, the Ports of Mumbai and JNPT have since been shut down, as the 'Chitra' has dropped an unspecified number of containers into the sea, which are a navigational hazard and preclude other ships from safely entering or leaving port.

Amidst the breast beating a couple of questions need to be answered:

1. Did the two ships have Harbour pilots on board?
2. Mumbai has a fully functional Vessel Traffic Management System, which should have been guiding both ships.
3. Our disaster response and management systems have proven to inadequate again.

A laundry list of the damages.

1. Environmental disaster which is still unravelling.
2. India's financial hub shut down.
3. Huge capital loss, in terms of damage to ships and cargo, where an insurance firm is going to take a severe hit.Maybe the ships are a total write off.
4. Cost of salvaging the sinking container ship. This task is going to be tough- tough, due to the choppy seas around Mumbai, in this time of the year.
5. The possibility that the Chitra, will prove to be a permanent wreck, impeding navigation around the ports.

Initially, it was thought that there were no fatalities. That apparently is wrong.A poor police officer with limited swimming skills fell off the police patrol boat and drowned.Trust us to have the wrong people at the wrong place.The other policemen in the speed boat ( three ) also did not know swimming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One can only grind one's teeth in frustration..................

Something Rotten II

Last week, a worker with a beer distributor, in the United States, was given the choice of resigning his job or being fired, for stealing beer.The Afro-American Omar Thornton, seems to have agreed to resign and then pulled a gun from his lunch box and shot ten people, eight fatally. He then took his life even as police officers were 'getting' to him.

The beer distributor apparently had zero tolerance for theft and discipline was swift with tragic effects, as we can see.Omar Thornton, the shooter, was a young man and seemingly well adjusted, but that apparently wasn't the case.It once again brings to the fore, the need to carry out thorough background checks and carry out personality checks prior to hiring people.

However the twist in the tale was yet to come. Thornton apparently, called his mother before killing himself and told her that he was being harassed because he was an African American and was victimized. His girlfriend later confirmed Thornton's grievance.Thornton's family has gone to town with his side of the story.

Thornton, had complained of racial harassment and said he found a picture of a noose and a racial epithet written on a bathroom wall, his girlfriends mother said. Her daughter told her that Thornton's supervisors told him they would talk to his co-workers.However Union officials said that Thornton had made no complaint of racial harassment.

A tragedy all around!!!!!!!What was lacking? Empathy, understanding and the Human Touch, that all of us look for.

Something Rotten!

To be or not to be, that is the question? That is the dilemma that Hamlet, The Prince of Denmark, faced. That is also, the query that many of us have to deal with on a day, to day basis- to be agreeable or not.Why did Hamlet, ask that question? Because there was something rotten in the State of Denmark. Agreeableness is one of the BIG FIVE personality traits, that many a corporate values and looks for.They do not want dysfunctional folk running riot at the workplace. Many of us are generally agreeable, but then being agreeable, while good, being agreeable all the time, leads to enormous stress, called 'Emotional Labor or Load'and can tell on our physical or mental health. I do not envy the air hostess, who has to sport that plastic smile come rain or sunshine. It's too damn tough.
The dichotomy is that some of the disagreeable folk are also some of the greatest celebrities. To name a few: *Steve Jobs. **Henry Ford. ***Bill Gates. ****John McEnroe. Of course, Alexander 'The Great'would take the cake for his drunken rages. However do you get to hear of his disagreeableness at all? The deduction is that, the more famous you get, the more disagreeable you can afford to be! If you are a small fry, you had better watch your step.
Also, next time you are at the receiving end of a disagreeable person, do not grit your teeth and bite your tongue and look meek. Maybe its worth your while to play hardball for a change. Adopt a 'No Asshole Rule'. If you have not read the book, do. It could change your life!