Category Archives: Life
Thought Provoking Leadership Quotes
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. —Lao Tzu
The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant. —Max DePree
Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. —Jack Welch
A leader is a dealer in hope. —Napoleon Bonaparte
A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. —John Maxwell
Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position. —Brian Tracy
Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes. —Peter Drucker
The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. —Kenneth Blanchard
A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position. —John Maxwell
Leaders think and talk about the solutions. Followers think and talk about the problems. —Brian Tracy
As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others. —Bill Gates
Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out. —Stephen Covey
Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal. —Vince Lombardi
Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. —John F. Kennedy
Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better. —Bill Bradley
There are three essentials to leadership: humility, clarity and courage. —Fuchan Yuan
What office perks do employees want?
I published a post about the possibility of an Afternoon Nap being made an office perk a few weeks back. That post triggered a lot of discussion and debate (Both offline and online), and as a result I have had the opportunity to hear what employees dream / want / need as “Office Perks”.
In this blog, I am listing the one’s which I personally found interesting.
(1) An Afternoon Nap on all working days (15 mins)
(2) House Cleaning and Maintenance Services (at least once a month)
(3) Creche / Child Care facilities within the office premiss / close-by
(4) Work from home 1 day a week (Mandatory)
(5) A weekend outing (at least once a quarter) – Movie, Good Food and More!
(6) An annual vacation planned and paid by the company 
(7) A reliable domestic help (especially in India)
(8) A reliable cook (especially for working mothers)
(9) A beauty parlor within the office premises (Both the boys and girls wanted this)
(10) A paid massage (head / body) at least once a month
(11) A spa within the office premises
(12) An mandatory “business hour” every week to pursue a hobby of your interest (sport, painting, art, dance, music, etc.)
(13) Low Calorie Food at the Office Cafeteria
(14) A Dietician within the office premises
(15) A paid health check-up within office premises once a year
(16) A qualified medical practitioner within the office premises
(17) Music playing in the background at work through a speaker system
(18) Mandatory 30 minutes of walking time every day (Say 30 mins after lunch)
(19) Yoga sessions 3 times a week (within office premises). And continuous yoga sessions in office campus
(20) Discounts with retailers for popular goods (including groceries, clothes, foot-wear, accessories, etc.)
(21) Financial Support in terms of any personal exigency
(22) ZERO Hour every week (1 hour a week) where you don’t have to work 
Did you find your dream perk in the list above? If NOT, leave a comment …
NOTE: I know that some organizations (especially in the IT sector) already provide one / many of these to their employees.
If you are a leader / influencer in your organization, the list above is food for thought
A Student’s Dilemma – The Course or The College…
It’s that time of the year when many students have to make important choices with respect to their future education – Especially the decision of the Graduation college (after completion of 12th standard).
A lucky few students (by virtue of their academic performance / personal wealth & affluence/ personal networks) manage to secure an admission in a college of their choice, and with a course (subject) of their choice. But this usually translates into very small percentage of the overall student base.
What about the vast majority of the students?
The dilemma comes down to a choice which they need to make
The Choice between the COURSE and COLLEGE..
And that’s a choice
Which can potentially change their life
Which can potentially change their earning potential
Which can potentially change their quality of life
Which can potentially change their way of thinking
Which can potentially change their views of the world..
Which can potentially change their HAPPINESS QUOTIENT in LIFE..
It’s a TOUGH CHOICE to make..
For students and for their parents..
Here’s my VIEW:
Having been through all these phases myself (right until post-graduation) & also having seen friends / colleagues / family / people around me go through the journey of life and how their lives eventually turn out – My personal and honest answer is “IT DEPENDS on the STUDENT“
Let me explain my point further..
At these phases of life, I have broadly seen students fall into 2 categories:
(1) Students who are deeply passionate about a subject / cause and know for sure what they want to study and eventually become. For e.g.: A friend of mine was very clear that she wanted to study Genetics; and be a researcher in this area when she was in 12th Standard. At that time though most of us knew vaguely what genetics was, her personal interest and passion on the subject was unparalleled. She would read extensively about the subject, subscribe to magazines / periodicals, etc etc & any conversation with her which lasted beyond 5 minutes would be steered to Genetics. Eventually, she went on to do her PhD in Genetics, and has dome some amazing research work in this area.
Whatever be the area of interest – Be it engineering, medicine, genetics, finance, yoga, fitness, fashion design, jewellery design, acting, music, cooking, etc. etc. etc. – If you are deeply passionate about it and are sure about it, that’s a GREAT PLACE and STATE to be in life.
So as a student / individual, if you are deeply passionate about a subject / cause, then my recommendation is one should CHOOSE the COURSE over the COLLEGE.
(2) Now coming to majority of the other students (Applies even to most of us even in adult life) – They really don’t know what they want to study or eventually become. Some of them have favorite subjects at school, but their not sure if that’s what they want to pursue further (For e.g.: It’s not necessary that if you like Maths, you want to become a Mathematician, or Accountant, or a Business Finance professional). For many, they don’t even have any favorite subjects – They just study everything because its part of their school curriculum.
For such students, my recommendation is one should CHOOSE the COLLEGE over the COURSE. Of course, you should try to look for a course in which you have some level of interest.
Simply because if you join a better rated college, you will have the following advantages:
One, the quality of teaching staff would probably be (And again, there may be exceptions here.) better; and a good teacher can sometimes do a phenomenal job in introducing you to new subjects / new worlds, make you curious about learning, open your to mind to new possibilities and help you discover subjects / passions which were waiting to be unearthed. Also recommendations from reputed / well-known teachers of good institutes adds up in your resume – for job applications / future studies.
Two, the overall quality of student base would probably be better. Interacting and building strong friendships and relationships with the right people at this phase of your life can make all the difference in how you think, the kind of activities you associate with, the experiences and exposure you get as a student and the lessons of life you learn as a student.
Three, and most importantly a better rated college would probably also expose you to options and possibilities after you complete a course by virtue of their associations and collaborations with other regional / global organizations, and these can give you a head-start in your career.
Fourthly and most importantly, the job / career prospects are better if you’ve studied in a good college. Organizations looking at recruitment usually tie-up with colleges which are ranked better. Of course, all organizations have their own criteria for identification of colleges that they will recruit students from, but as a general guideline the better ranked colleges are preferred.
Fifthly, the college alumni plays a very important role in the branding of the college in the corporate context, and the contributions they make to grow and improve the institute. Most good colleges have a dedicated focus on connecting, engaging and interacting with alumni, and do gain phenomenally from these alumni interactions. Consequently, the current student base do get to benefit for these alumni networks in terms of career counseling, guest lectures, industry connects and even job recruitment drives.
Lastly, 10 years after you’ve started working most people associate you with an educational institute than with a specific branch. So for e.g.: You’ll hear of Ms X as a Harvard alumni more often than Ms X as an Engineering student.
That’s my view. Would love to hear your views. Leave a comment to let me know
And if you need to make the decision now, GOOD LUCK to YOU
Offline Status = Anti Social, Online Status = Super Social???
Human Behavior has always fascinated me a great deal – Both in the real world and in the “virtual” world. And ever since I’ve been active on Social Media for the past few years, I’ve noticed a few behavioral patterns in people I know.. Something which intrigued me, interested me and even puzzled me…
Broadly, I noticed the following categories of behaviors (primarily FaceBook and Twitter)
Category 1 : Offline Status = Super Social, Online Status = Anti Social
These are the kind of people who have a zillion friends in the real world. Everywhere they go, they know someone, or are well known within specific networks. They have an active social life, actively participate in one / many activities of interest to them. What I broadly call “Super Social” as far as the real world is concerned. As for as their online presence in social networks goes, it almost does not exist. In some cases they have a profile on FaceBook or Twitter, but hardly connect with any of their friends neither do they post updates about their active social life. I asked a few such people I personally know about why they were not so active on Social Media (given the whole world is headed there). Several valid responses, the Top ones were “Not interested in connecting virtually when I can do the real thing“, “No time as the real-world keeps me busy enough“, “Don’t still get how you can be social in the virtual world!“
Category 2 : Offline Status = Super Social, Online Status = Super Social
These are the kinds of people who are “Super Social ” in the real world – They have friends everywhere they go, They are well known and popular in the circles / groups / communities they’re a part of. And they carry this side of their personality to the online world as well. So they have a zillion connections on FaceBook, Several thousands of followers on Twitter (& also follow several thousands of people), etc etc. They are active on most of the Social networking sites and every day there are several updates from them. My only thoughts are “Just how do they manage to do it?” and “Don’t they ever sleep?” – However they do it, hats-off to them!
Category 3 : Offline Status = Anti Social, Online Status = Anti Social
This is the kind of people who keep pretty much to themselves : both in the real world and in the virtual world. They have very few social connections in the real world, and keep it this way even in the online world. Many of them don’t even have profiles on FaceBook, and while some of them do, they barely connect with anyone or update their status. Their favorite responses “Not interested” or “I really don’t know what to say ” or “Who’d be interested anyways!“. Hmm. Well as long as they are happy with their status, who can say / do anything?
Category 4 : Offline Status = Selectively Social, Online Status = Selectively Social
This is the category that most people I know usually fall into. They are selectively social in their associations and connections in the real world (Some past / history, common interests, hobbies, topics of conversation, etc. usually drive engagement), and exhibit similar behavior in the virtual world. They typically connect with people they know or want to know better for a specific reason, are restrictive about their privacy settings, and guarded about what they share on Social Media.
Category 5 : Offline Status = Anti Social, Online Status = Super Social
This last category of individuals intrigues me the post. They are “Anti Social” in the real world – No smile, No greeting, No Hello (even if they know you), barely have an active social network or social life in the real world. And when you see their online status (read FaceBook, Twitter, etc.) you will be pleasantly surprised (in some instances almost shocked) to see their activities, connections, how frequently they share content, how much they disclose about themselves.. They are completely “transformed” individuals – Almost like a “dual” or “split personality”.
I wonder often what triggers such a drastic change.
Is it because they don’t have a real world social life they try to compensate in the online world?
Is it because they can start afresh & build new connections with people across the world?
Is it because they enjoy the freedom & choices they can make in social media?
Is it because they are more comfortable to connect, engage and interact “virtually” – without Face-2-Face interactions
On one hand it’s good. As Aristotle said “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god.” . So better to build social connections – even if it is in the “virtual world” than have none at all!
On the other hand, I wonder how one can have such contrasting sides to their personality?
NOTE: By pure logic, I am sure that several other combinations of status are possible. However, I have listed above the one’s I have pre-dominantly observed.
ADDENDUM – For ease of understanding, I have depicted this in a Matrix.. Refer below
What’s your view? What categories of behaviors have you seen? Leave a comment to let me know…
Focus Focus Focus
One point which has emerged again and again and again in all recent discussions I’ve been a part of is this “The IMPORTANCE of FOCUS“
Be it at home or work, If you are FOCUSED about what you WANT, you will most LIKELY GET IT!
If I look at the world around me, I see the following impediments :
(1) Lack of clarity on what to focus on? – For many of us, we don’t know what to focus our time and energies on. We don’t have any personal goals in life, and hence every day is like the one before – & we get caught in the monotony and drudgery of the “mandatory chores”.
Take a moment to think – What are your goals and dreams in life? And focus on them
(2) Too many distractions on a daily basis - Ok. You’ve done some thinking and soul-searching and have figured out your goals and dreams for life? You also took the next step and created a “workable plan”. And you are determined to get there.. But there’s just one little problem – There are just too many distractions on a daily basis – TV, Twitter, FaceBook, News, Movies, etc etc etc – The list is endless. Just how to stay focused amidst all this.
Well there’s no easy way apart from making a few choices and letting-go of what’s not important. Just focus on what you really want. It’s OK if you don’t know / see everything there is to see. You will be just fine!
(3) Lack of focus in the long term – Most of the really good things take time to get there. And somewhere along the way, the focus gets diluted for many of us. For e.g.: Let’s say you want to author a Research Paper. You start the research work, and then something more important / exciting cries for your attention. So you de-focus from the paper, and focus efforts else-where. Before you know, a week / month / year has elapsed, and the research paper is still in “draft mode”
Be aware of your personal life patterns. When you find yourself getting off-the-road, gently push yourself to come back on track – In whatever way it works. Key to success is LONG TERM FOCUS!
Ending with a few quotes from the wise:
“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.” BY Tony Robbins
“That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” BY Steve Jobs
What’s your “Value Quotient” (VQ)?
Its that time of the year again – The Annual Appraisal Time when an employee’s performance evaluation is done.. You are rated for your work, efforts and contributions in line with your objective for the year. While the process is a mandatory part of most organizations, it is also a good time for you to do a self-review, reflection and evaluation on your own career goals and performance – Honestly – Just for YOURSELF! And what is key would be to asses your career performance and career growth w.r.t your own professional aspirations and ambitions.
One question that I find extremely useful to ask myself is “What’s my Value Quotient (VQ)?” – Or in simple words “What is the UNIQUE VALUE that I bring to the TABLE at work“? – And value can really translate into anything that helps an individual employee deliver his / her responsibilities and perform in line / beyond expectations to help achieve an organization’s objectives – So it could be knowledge (Subject Matter expertise – Technology, Business Domain, Finance, etc.), Specific skills (communication, negotiation, Building and nurturing relationships, Expectation management, etc.), Professional networks, personal brand, etc. etc.
Food for Thought
* What is your Value Quotient (VQ) , i.e., What is the “UNIQUE VALUE” that you bring to the table at work? Can you write it in 1-3 sentences
* Has this value “INCREASED” in comparison to last year? – in your own assessment
* Has this value “INCREASED” in comparison to last year? – in your organization’s assessment
* Will these “parameters” be of VALUE to you 3 – 5 years from now?
* Will these “parameters” be of VALUE to your organization 3 – 5 years from now?
* What can you do to “enhance your VALUE” in the next 1 year?
* What can you do to enhance the perception of your VALUE in the next 1 year?
Working Mothers : This is for YOU
A few days ago, I had written a post on this blog Working Mothers – The “Real” Issues. The post got a lot of readership (Thanks to all those who read it) and also many people wrote back, and asked if there were any suggestions on how to deal with some / many of these.
Looking back at my own life – Ever since I became a mother myself, I have a new found respect and admiration for all working mothers.
No matter what you do
No matter where you live
No matter what else you do
If you’re a working mother
Hats off to you
Simply because every working mother had to deal with several “mini-projects” as I call it on a daily basis
Project 1 : Kids (A to Z)
Project 2 : Work / Career
Project 3 : Food and Cooking
Project 4 : Husband (Yes! A full time project )
Project 5 : Friends
Project 6 : Home Maintenance
Project 7 : Family
Project 8 : Self
Project 9 : Miscellaneous / Others
Just listing it down exhausted me! Then imagine how exhausting it would be to manage every single one of them, every single day!
Well, thankfully along the way I figured a few Mantras to make it easy for myself. In this post I am sharing my mantras with the hope that it may resonate or help you
Mantra 1 : Re-define Perfection
One of the most important milestone in my journey as a working mother was when I let-go of “PERFECTION”, rather I re-defined it. Yes, I accepted that everything and everyone will NOT be “perfect” all the time (even in my own eyes). And that’s OK! It’s OK if you don’t look your best always, It’s OK if you don’t have the cleanest house always, It’s OK if your cupboards are not the best organized always, It’s OK if you don’t get the BEST MOM Award everyday, It’s OK to say “No” at work – when the situation warrants, It’s just OK……. That single moment was the “Nirvana” moment
Mantra 2 : Let Go of Control
There is a strong co-relation between women and their need to control OR feel in control of things. Up to a point, it is good! Beyond that, it is ?.
As a working mother, it is important to acknowledge and accept that you will NOT be in control of everything all the time. Just re-calibrating your own expectations of what in in your control, and what is out of your control helps tremendously.
Next, finding realistic and practical ways to deal with situations which are beyond your control helps tremendously in finding balance between professional commitments and personal priorities
Mantra 3 : You are not a SUPERWOMAN ; Accept limitations
Yes! You are not born a SUPERWOMAN. You have your set of limitations, constraints and realities to live with. You have only 24 hours in a day, and only 2 eyes, 1 nose, 2 ears, 2 hands & 2 legs – like everyone else! You have your share of highs and lows, ups and downs, emotions, trials and tribulations.
Most importantly,
(1) You cannot possibly make everyone happy all the time
(2) You may not be able to live up to everyone’s expectations all the time
(3) You may put yourself before others – sometimes or many times
All the (3) above are perfectly OK.
Mantra 4 : Ask “Will this REALLY matter 10 years from now?”
One of the most powerful question I ask myself when I have a tough time deciding things is “Will this REALLY matter 10 years from now?”. More often than not, I see the situation in a totally different perspective, and find satisfactory answers to whatever situation I am facing. Try it the next time you are up against a brick wall, and you will experience the difference.
Now I’d love to hear your Mantras. Leave a comment to let me know
Address to young graduates joining the IT Workforce
Last week – On the occasion of International Women’s Day (8 March 2013), I had the opportunity to address a group of young college graduates (all women) who are soon to join the IT workforce. It was an interesting and interactive session, filled with a lot of energy, enthusiasm, questions, laughs and participation.
In this blog, I am sharing the key messages I highlighted during this interaction:
Key Lessons from my Corporate Journey
(1) The “College World” is DIFFERENT from the “Corporate World” : primarily in terms of the fact that your role changes from a service consumer to a service provider
(2) Be OPEN to roles, responsibilities, opportunities
•In first 3 – 5 years, every thing you do counts and can shape your career
•Diversity of the work you do makes you understand the “complete picture”
•Holistic understanding is key to success and growth
(3) Make continuous LEARNING a priority in your LIFE
(4) Invest in PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
•Collaboration is the key to growth
•Networks and Relationships do make a difference in the corporate context
(5) Having a Mentor makes a DIFFERENCE
(6) Take RESPONSIBILITY for your CAREER
(7) Speak Up – Communication is KEY!
(8) Ask for what you want. Sometimes just asking for it can bring it to your table!
(9) “Visibility matters in the Corporate World” – Make sure you are visible ; At the very least for the work that you do
Mantras of Life for any WORKING WOMAN
(1) Be COGNIZANT of the many roles you PLAY ; Balance is the key
(2) Be REALISTIC – in your expectations of yourself, your workplace and in relationships
(3) There will be 2 critical personal MILESTONES which could affect your career – Be open, accept and deal with changes
•Marriage : “The most important career choice you’ll make is who you marry” BY Sheryl Sandburg, FaceBook COO
•Becoming a Mother – A reality check!
(4) Invest in your HEATH – Regular Exercise and Balanced Diet! Focus on long term than short term. And yes, “Health is Wealth”!
(5) Be CLEAR on your PRIORITIES
(6) Plan Plan Plan – Makes an ocean of difference
(7) Value your TIME and others TIME – Time is your most valuable asset
(8) “ME Time” on a regular basis to do things you LOVE – Music, TV / Movies, Reading, etc.
(9) Be POSITIVE – In Thought, Word and Deed!
What really makes a DIFFERENCE in the long run?
(1) Desire to work
(2) Openness to deal with change
(3) Clarity on Priorities
(4) Ability to communicate in a clear and precise fashion
(5) Awareness of yourself
(6) Acceptance of yourself
(7) Supportive Spouse (After marriage & motherhood)
(8) Reliable Support System (After motherhood)
(9) Expectation Management
