Celebration ~ all around us!

After couple of years (yes, I was very busy last year, esp. during Diwali season) I am writing again about Diwali & over-all celebrations.

Diwali, annual festival of lights, signifies the spirit of a lamp, to fight against the darkness. 

I remember, I was very much enthusiastic for Diwali. My father used to bring a huge box of firecrackers. Then it was my routine to sort them for each day celebrations. Earlier I used to sort it simply total fireworks / number of days. Then I realized, for first & last day I need to arrange more etc. etc. it was all part of planning at that age, might be. Then came the indirect lesson of careful spending/planning your expenses or whatever else corporate name you can give.

I was in seventh standard, my papa gave me Rs. 1000 and asked me to buy some decoration material, akash-kandil (lantern) & fireworks. He asked my uncle to accompany me with instructions that,  "Let him buy whatever he wants, do not allow him to spend more than what I have given." I was happy as this was a rare occasion I got direct money to spend, on my own will. 

My plan was simple, for me decorations are least imp things. I was planning to spend max Rs. 100 on it. Another Rs. 100 for akash-kandil & remaining Rs 800 can bring some good amount of fireworks for me (it was 90's). But problem started, when I went to buy decorations items the list of things I had was costing around 200 Rs. I said alright, lets buy remaining in 50 Rs & 750 Rs of fireworks, a good deal. But again akash-kandil costed 150 Rs & my plan crashed badly. Another game of choices was to select fireworks, which will be more in number, but should not cross my 650 Rs. budget, also there should be some fancy things like 7-shot rockets etc. With all permutations & combinations I finalized the fireworks, but before packing I realized that few items are not much of use (like some noisy sparkles) & I am buying them. I decided not buy those things & finally I came home with my set of fireworks, and all necessary things. With some 75 Rs spare.

When I handed over everything to my father, he was happy. I was too small to understand why...

I got a surprise (additional) pack of fireworks right on the very first day of diwali. Again I never asked why it was... I was just happy that I got more things to play, enjoy & celebrate.

Years later, I joined MBA in Bangalore, that was the first time I was away from my home, even during Diwali. (some assignment/something else don't remember). That was the first time I was staying in Hostel, not much aware about the local language & most important all alone there. That Diwali I realized the importance of celebration, importance of being at home, with family & that was something really more valuable than firecrackers or any other gift. I never missed any diwali after that.

It was 2011, again I was away from my home. Was struggling to get things in place & somehow I was thinking,  "it's really not important to celebrate diwali". Rest of the story you can read in my previous post here. That was dramatic, I was working whole night to make sure, my client's website will be online for his Diwali muhurt, in the morning 5.30 got a call from friend that he is coming down to my place to pick me. I simply slept in bus. Straight for 6 hours. Finally bus conductor woke me up saying, no further stop to this bus, "utha Dapoli aale". When I saw my home again that day, that was the feeling, the bliss! Just 24 hours before, I was planning some excuse of work so that I need to not visit home & spend my productive hours there, working & earning money, & now, after finishing all my deadlines, I was there to celebrate with my beloved people.

This year many things are covering this Diwali. Low markets, less leads in business, increased prices, crumpled (may not be the right word, but feeling) weather & what not. Our twitter discussion was about the same, "Its not feeling like fun, this year!" I was worried, as this might be the result of I am growing old, maturing with experiences. 

Anyways, Looking forward for this fun-filled vacation. Let me throw out the negative thoughts & come back with a new energy. Hope everyone will enjoy


P.S. - It was quite a lengthy post, if you are still reading this... a Special Thanks for reading! 

Happy DIWALI everyone

End of the World

This year has been marked with many events, perhaps the most discussed is End of the WORLD theory by Mayans. 

For a month or more all social networks are actively trending gags and creative work demonstrating the END of the WORLD scenario.

This all sequence shows the corner of every mind, which keeps faith / respect / fear about some unknown supernatural power, however scientific or atheist people may pretend to be.

Lets have a look at the base of this so called event.

According to Mayan (2000 BC to 250 AD) time calculation mechanism, 21 Dec 2012, will bring the date 13.0.0.0.0 which is as per the theory end of 4th World, created by God. I had a discussion about this with a Psychic expert, who strongly believes in the theory. According to her, the process is just started. it will last for next few years and then world will be demolished.

As of today 21-12-2012 10AM IST, I haven't seen any direct signs of fireballs coming from the sky or earthquakes.

But when I think the other way, every day is new, every date is unique. In turn you can consider every day you have an opportunity to end your old world of hesitations, limitations and mindset, to try something new, something never done before, eventually you might landup with a success you never got before. This is what is done by many successful businesses, successful people and visionary leaders. 

Lets end our restricted world today, will have a broader view, larger ideas and courage to follow  your open mind!


Have a great reincarnation! 

Earth DAY...some thoughts

22nd April, celebrated world-wide as International Earth DAY. This year, there were hardly any celebrations in India, as it was not some marketing event, or globally renowned cash flow point like valentines day or friendship day.

For the few people, who atleast cares about there is something called EARTHDAY, it is another warning bell. Yesterday was 40th Earthday, but problems are residing within us for few more decades. When earthday started, there was no word like green movement and hardly anyone knows about global warming. For so many years, an ordinary person like me, was not much acquainted about the words, EL-nino, global warming, greenhouse gases etc. But now the effects are on our doorsteps. This is ARPIL running, and at my place, red-mark of temperature is already above the historic records. Same is the case, almost everywhere. 

World shattered few weeks before by a series of earthquakes, which deserted a small civilization at Haiti, continued the things in Peru and other places. For last two weeks Eyjafjallajokull volcano is controlling, one of  the most happening industry in the world. All around chaos in the Airline industry is affecting the world, education, business and of-course tourism. Still we are interested in building palm island and world island in the sea.

I am not much pessimistic about future, rather I was not; later I quit. This is a safest way to reduce burden from my brain-processor, which is already overclocked and working restlessly. This is a short term measure. Sometimes I feel that, all the cartel together, industries, billionaire, politicians and scientists are fooling  us, with the glowing shiny picture of tomorrow, which will be there but with a heavy cost.

Sometimes I fear, may be the next generation will be the luckiest one, as they will enjoy much more advanced technology, with some last green patches on the earth. Generation next to them, will only find an earth filled up with the machines, dust and some mechanical personalities, which will work for food, pleasure and money. The green plants, might be available in the museums or to be sold with highest cost, with a tag of LIMITED EDITION. Agriculture might become just food generation industry, with controlled environment, genetically modified seeds, chemicals and electronic surveillance. 

                                      

I can recall a Disney PIXAR movie, 'WALL-E', which was a blockbuster last year. There was an incidence about the last human civilian, in the space station, which was periled by formation of new biosphere on the once-upon-a-time abandoned Earth, which was full of dust, metal and plastics. Just because, that will eliminate the need for space station and the economy running on it, will suffer. Exactly the human nature of opposing the change.

Tomorrow if something goes wrong, these cartel members will investing it weatherproof bunkers or ships like noah's ark to save themselves, from the money, which we paid once upon a time, just to have some pleasurable things.

Here we need change. Because we need our Earth. 

Together, what we can do. Just few simple things, can change the world.

1. Reduce the use of plastic, use jute bags or bags made up of cloths.

2. Control the use of vehicles for the small distances or else use a public transport measures.

3. Do not print an email unless it is necessary.

4. Open your windows, there is abundant light available outside. 

5. Evening can be pleasurable without air-conditioner, just take a walk in nearby garden.

6. Plant a tree as a memory of every special moment in the life, if it is not possible to plant, you can sponsor or donate a tree to public garden. 

After so much and so on, our world is still beautiful, lets keep it as it is for the coming generations.

Thinking like a consultant...

My idol, Bill Gates often placed a fact, 'Start Early in your carrier'. I hope its not that late for me to start with. I am now 26 and on the occasion of Hindu New Year, I registered my site, for a consulting service. I was much more skeptical about going directly in to the business, and it claimed almost one year up in my mind to finally settled with this.

As I referred in my post way back, where I compared the way Google, MS, Yahoo etc., we know the stories (just like our local legends) But there are so many other successful names in the industry, like Symantec, Native Instruments, ATARI etc. Hardly anyone knows about how they might have started. Even they would have started with something small, may be like startup company, Originated from concept, Supported by likeminded people, somewhere got the node of business and now they are on top of their chosen field. Its not always luck. Atleast I think so. and Whatever may be the story, finally I am into the business and not following any of these legendary names.

Second question arises is, does working on couple of projects with some name, makes you an entrepreneur??? Tomorrow if someone offers me some catchy salary package, what I'll be doing? Was that would be ignoring myself and my decision or will be rejecting the opportunity of cashing up. Its like either way I am loosing.

Another thing is, the classic management theory (Thanks to the great stream of HR managers), says that, while starting something, your mission, vision and goals should be set. For me the decision was just powered by opportunity. I don't have anything like mission statement or vision. It would be rather, like planning upon that today I'm going to breath these many times. What I know is I can work and I have to work. Till now any mission/vision or goal thing haven't stuck me. It might be necessary for future growth, but on the other hand, Goals should be practicable, achievable and S.M.A.R.T. The contradiction here is how can someone decide upon the goal, without trying it whether is it achievable or practicable. These concepts look good in book and sometimes in interview.

Once I started, I observed some different nature. Some of my friends/relatives/well-wishers are happy to know about, some are skeptical, some are opposing and most of them are clueless. It will be too early to post about my results and analysis. But I'm into serious business is the most important thing.

One more mistake, I did till now was, I labelled myself, that I can just lookout for job or I can do these things, nothing can be done other than that. Year 2009 offered me a platform to build myself, to develop my unsharpened skills and finally to gain confidence. It comes with time.

There is only fact in the world, 'Time is the healer and time goes on....its not gonna wait forever...'

Its the time which will decide, whether I am right or wrong..

Wish me luck

Looking back looking ahead...

Today, on the verge of ending year, I felt like, an eternal part of mine, I'm leaving bahind, in the form of experiences and memories.

2009, I can simply classify it as a year of disappointments and dark clouds over my life. But the purpose of this retrospection is to focus the golden border of this dark cloud, because that is gain for me, because I feel, every defeat, every rejection or every denial, contributes in to a treasure called experience.

I tried so many different things this year.Cleared the initial screening exam for the interview into mass communication company(which I never thought I could do), ventured into totally alien territory of hosted open-source solutions, visited the great city of Ahmadabad, got some good friends like 'sachin c.', I programmed something after a considerable break of 2+ years, and nevertheless, took few bold decisions to redirect my career.

I think, this is not the occasion to enter into the depths of past...

Tomorrow, I didn't expect anything new. Because its just a change in calender. But as usual, a whole new day will be waiting for me, as it was for last 365 times in 2009 and for 25 years for me.

Being an optimistic individual, I expect lot many things (again) from this year. These are not new year resolutions, but just expectations. Some of them are like, getting a good job, getting engaged this year (hopefully) and getting a visa stamped on my brand new passport.


ALVIDA 2009
and
Colorful wishes for the Fresh and New year 2010...

Rust

Everyone often asks me, “How are you?”, I always look for someone who will say, “you are lying”, when I say, “I’m fine.” When I smiles at stranger, it’s just another layer on me, which unsharpened my feelings, which keeps me separated from the reality and allows my thoughts to remain just for me.

In other words, I found myself always being in two different lives and everything I do, I always prefers one side without ignoring another. Sometimes, my emotions overload my thought, try to buzz up the situations, and strongly point me towards the less preferred side, which sometimes, I found rusting within me. This can be considered as a coincidence, for me the situational reactions were not always the obvious or not always as expected. It’s just a consequence of the inappropriate proportion of two lives, I am handling together.

People often term this as the volatility, short-temper or any other thing. I always look for someone, who will try to understand the reasons behind this consequence, or at least understands that this is a consequence. On one random day, the search ended up with the result, not with a person but with a reason. The reason, which told me that “it’s not someone other, but you who can understand yourself better.” The battle within me was always between outer and inner souls, but, when I tried to take the rust off, on my own, I got the meaning, reason and cause behind almost every problem I fought. Personal life influences many of the professional decision, and when someone like me, tries to attain win-win situation, it’s not always the apparently best solution. Again this affects the personal life and the cycle starts again.

“Personal or Professional?”

This question is exactly like the difference between focusing on single thing and diversifying the approach. Both has its own pros and cons. Both has its limits, and both has its cost, or consequences. When I find someone talking on Work-Life Balance, I wonder that either this person is great or a liar, but he/she doesn’t appears like either of them.

Because in my approach to this question is mostly situational. Finally I perceive every question as a demand by the particular situation and the things like planning and strategies can guide you towards the decision but not to the solution. I never think about focus, but I never advocate diversification, because these are just the standards, finally it’s you, who will attain the success, because again success is consequence of identifying the exact needs of the situation and acting properly upon it, without fail. Again sticking up with the strategies is also not wrong, may be that can be the demand of situation.

Finally it’s the rust within everyone, leads him towards the safer and may be less ambitious decisions.

Best HR ever

It was a busy Sunday for me, as I have to face one more bank exam. As we got the answer-sheets, one typical girly voice whispered from last bench, "What is the post code?, They havn't specified any..."

"I think we are supposed to keep it blank, otherwise they would have specified the thing" I replied.

"Oh, may be... anyway, thanks!"

"You are welcome, 'n all the best.."

A casual conversation followed by long & irritating paper.

As per the schedule, there was a break inbetween two papers. She again asked me, "Hows the paper?"

"It was good, except the Data-Interpretation section, what do you think?", I replied while opening a biscuit pack. "Hi, I'm Vikram, may I know your name?"

"Hi, this is Vaidehi, MBA-HR from Indira College, currently working with thisthis consulting. Whats your specialization?"

"Nice, then I should handover my CV to you. My specialization is in Systems and interest is CRM."

"Oh great, but I hardly found that subject interesting."

"I have some different opinion about your stream HR", I was in assault mood. "Dont mind, but I think HR is worthless place in the organization, they hardly add any value to it. Why you chose that?"

`

"Because I only know that. You are right, no one can calculate exact impact of HR practices in organization. But I think HR do possesses some value, as organizations like Infy invests hugely for that. There must be some reason behind it."

"I think an core-domain specialist manager, with some training can manage the human resource in better way, as he knows how to do get it done, and what can be the better way. This in turn can eliminate the need for HR and some huge sums they are claiming. Can you specify return on investment for HR investments?"

"Listen, there is a difference between running a mercenary gang and operating an organization. ROI is not everything for organization. Its not all about money and more earning. The effective and efficient utilization of manpower is the aim of HR, which inturn supports the core function of organization."

"Alright. when you say efficient, it comes to a ratio of outcome and cost paid for that. When a resource is exploited efficiently, it means you are asking the manpower to add more value, without spending for that. Dont you think that is exploitation. and one more case, when someone switches the organization, you HR people, offers him more money. If job is more about work-satisfaction then why is that additional offering? If there is difference between gang and organization, why it happens?"

"That additional money is for shifting the faith and accepting the change. Work satisfaction is the drive behind the job-shift. One more contradiction is that, when you ask your core-domain managers to do HR job, dont you exploit them?"

"I will be paying them for that and that ensures better workflow for them, which in-turn improves the quality level within the organization, is what I think. I don't want to place a point that HR branch is useless, I just want to say that, organization don't need it as a special department. Just the managers are need to work as people managers as well."

"You have a point, I appreciate. But I hope I have changed your viewpoint atleast upto some extent", She concluded the topic.

After asking a formal cup of coffee, I told her, "You are too good to be HR, See you, Good Luck"

"Yes, may be at interview", She laughed & walked away.

I dont have her email or contact, Now I can hardly recall her face, I might forget her name in few days. But only thing I will remember, She's the best HR, I ever encountered with

note- The photo is by Moriza, taken from his Flickr.