Time

One of our professors' who teaches 'Manufacturing Systems Design' had this to say about the concept of time, as it applies to us.In the west, the time is linear which means that once you cross a point on this line, you can never come back to it. On the contray, for the Indians, it is circular. This is reflected in our belief in rebirth, poetic justice etc, and also in our songs. Consider this one, for example," Kaal ka Pahiya Ghume bhaiya" .Does that explain the fact that we and our public services are hopeless as far as punctuality is concerned?

Six Sigma

Six sigma is an indicator of quality.All the good companies lay a lot of emphasis on quality, because according to many experts on quality, it comes free. You have to pay a price for quality in the short term, but in the long term, it more than pays you back.You avoid the cost of rework or reacquisition of equipment.In quantitative terms, six sigma quality is the probability of having just 3.4 defective parts/ processes in a million processes.Many organisations have achieved this level of quality or are trying to reach there by following strict procedures.While it is relatively easy to acheive quality till about 3-4 sigma by following qualitative techniques, it is not possible to do so as you go higher without objectivity and quantification of performance.The processes that are needed to be followed are as given below:

• Define
• Measure
• Analyse
• Improve
• Control
• Standardise

Are these processes being followed in your organisation?Have you defined the job of your subordinate in quantitative terms. Does she know the performance parameters being measured or is your organisation following fuzzy attributes of judging performance subjectively. Look at your Appraisal report and you will be amazed at the subjectivity in the whole process. You may be loyal in the eyes of one superior because you are ready to do all his bidding at an operational level, but not so to another who expects you to participate in psuedo welfare activities.In the context of my previous organisation, a commanding officer should be hauled over the coals(figuratively speaking) for

• Operational inefficiency( Just effectiveness is not enough)
• someone commits suicide in his unit
• For cases of fragging
• Increasing accidents/ incidents
• Low level of personnel motivation
• Increasing applications for release from service
• Disinterest amongst personnel towards professional courses

There could be negative/positive points for all these and many others that are applicable.Only a quantitative technique of performance measurement and analysis can save an organisation from a slow death.

Daily Trading

Lately I have fallen prey to the dangers of daily trading in equities. While I keep my targets low, and exit without making a loss, and aftermaking some profit, I do wonder if it is really worth it.On the positive side it gives me a lot of satisfaction at having hit the bull's eye,but on the negative side I feel that if I put a value to my time, I am actually making a loss.But what is my time's worth.It will depend on the salary that I draw from my employer.If I do not earn about Rs 600 every hour that I trade , I am actually making a loss,because I end up misusing my employer's time.For students it could be the waste of their parent's hard earned money.I do not know if I am thinking in the right direction, but that's what comes to my mind today.And also consider the risk that comes with trading.Investing, I think, is a better option, since you do not have to be glued to the ticker.

Professionalism

I have been having this uneasy feeling for many days that there is a serious lack of professionalism in whatever we do as compared to the standarsd set by some of the western nations.I had the opportunity to watch the movie on 'Exercise RedFlag',made by Boeing/IMAX ,and was amazed to see the technology in use in warfare.When I look back at my own experiences , I find that we are way behind the westerners ,both in our attitude and our capability.We do have some real bright people, who can and who regularly work wonders,but there is quite a malaise at a broader level.For us to improve , we need to look for ways of making a difference for the better in our own area of influence.There has to be a real effort at the use of technology to improve things.

Ethics and Morality

The difference between ethics and morals can seem somewhat arbitrary to many, but there is a basic, albeit subtle, difference. Morals define personal character, while ethics stress a social system in which those morals are applied. In other words, ethics point to standards or codes of behavior expected by the group to which the individual belongs. This could be national ethics, social ethics, company ethics, professional ethics, or even family ethics. So while a person’s moral code is usually unchanging, the ethics he or she practices can be other-dependent.
When considering the difference between ethics and morals, it may be helpful to consider a criminal lawyer. Though the lawyer’s personal moral code likely finds murder immoral and reprehensible, ethics demand the accused client be defended as vigorously as possible, even when the lawyer knows the party is guilty and that a freed defendant would potentially lead to more crime. Legal ethics must override personal morals for the greater good of upholding a justice system in which the accused are given a fair trial and the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Pride and Ego

While in the class today on 'Strategic Business Negotiation, a student asked the professor the difference between pride and ego.I have been able to reflect on the issue.Here is the answer.....Pride in oneself is a positive feeling that a person has when he thinks about his achievements. It is necessary for all of us to be proud of ourselves. You could be proud of the fact that you have topped all the courses the you have done till now.Ego on the contrary is a negative feeling. Pride results into ego when the focus shifts from 'skills' to 'self'.If a person starts thinking that he is the best and all others are inferior to him because of the skills that he has, pride has slowly mutated into ego which is a dangerous thing. I have found that the initial step towards self growth lies in controlling one's ego.

Ghalib is God

Ye na thee hamaree qismat ke wisaal-e-yaar hota ;agar aur jeete rehte yahee intezaar hota (It was not in my fate to meet my lover, had I lived longer, this would still be my only desire)
Tere waade par jiye ham to ye jaan jhoot jaanaa; ke khushee se mar na jaate agar 'eitabaar hota (To live on your promise is to make my life a lie,would I not have died of happiness if I trusted it )
Teree naazukee se jaana ke bandha tha 'ehed_booda ;kabhee too na tor sakta agar oostuwaar hota (From your frailty I learnt that the promise was delicate; it would not stand broken had you been determined)
Koee mere dil se pooche tere teer-e-neemkash ko; ye khalish kahaan se hotee jo jigar ke paar hota (Someone ask me about your half-drawn arrow ,would I even feel this pain if it had pierced my heart)
Ye kahaan ki dostee hai ke bane hain dost naaseh; koee chaarasaaz hota, koee ghamgusaar hota (What kind of friendship is this, that friends are now advisers, someone should ease my pain, someone sympathize with me)
Rag-e-sang se tapakta wo lahoo ki phir na thamta ;jise gham samajh rahe ho, ye agar sharaar hota (As from every nerve drips blood without restraint, if that which you think is anguish is but a spark)
Gham agarche jaan_gulis hai, per kahaan bachain ke dil hai ;gham-e-ishq gar na hota, gham-e-rozgaar hota (Threatening as love is, there is no deliverance from the heart ,if not the torment of love, it would be the torment of life)
Kahoon kis se main ke kya hai, shab-e-gham buree bala hai; mujhe kya bura tha marna agar ek baar hota (Whom shall I narrate the pangs of these evenings of sorrow, Ii would have not resented this death, had it come only once)
Hue mar ke ham jo ruswa, hue kyon na gharq-e-dariya; na kabhee janaaza uthata, na kaheen mazaar hota (That I died and was disgraced, why was I not just drowned, never would have been there a funeral, nor a tomb erected)
Usay kaun dekh sakta ke yagaana hai wo yaktaa ;jo dooee ki boo bhee hotee to kaheen do chaar hota (Who can see him since his Oneness is without peer ,even the scent of his duality would be an introduction)
Ye masaail-e-tasawwuf, ye tera bayaan 'Ghalib'! ;tujhe ham walee samajhate, jo na baada_khwaar hota (This mysticism, these statements of yours Ghalib,you would be a saint, if only you were not inebriated)

Character

The history of man is the history of a life and death circle that keeps on moving incessantly.To me, it is a story of countless beginnings and ends.Out of all this drama of creation and annihilation, the only people who stand out are the men of noble character.These men shall live in the history of mankind for ages, because they have something that makes them immortal.It is not the worldly riches and prosperity, nor material wealth, that is the noblest of all human possessions.Character exemplifies human nature in its best form.Always do what your conscience tells you to do.
A word about courage. It is not the courage of a bull dog that is important in a human being , but the moral courage to say no under pressure, and to do what you believe in truly that really matters.Remember that at the end of the day, you are answerable to yourself ,and no one else.

Social Responsibilty

Over the weekend, I went to Nagpur.I have some really fond memories of the place, because it was here that I had met some very sweet and kind people.My married life had also started here. I found the town really changed and was face to face with extreme poverty. Beside the Yashwant stadium, there was this group of people-probably vagabonds -that was living their life on the roadside. I saw my country in its harsh reality, with the future staring at me through the snot covered faces of malnourished pot- bellied children. How can the government allow this to happen?Is it not possible to come out with a social security scheme ,through which everybody is given a house, and a basic sustenance allowance.I felt really helpless at my inability to affect the lives of such poor people in an effective manner.

Why can't the government be more efficient? Why can't it direct the subsidies to those who need them, rather than to everybody? Is it such a difficult task? I see no reason for many, including yours truly ,to be enjoying the subsidy on petrol and LPG? Why...?There are only questions today in my mind.Small doles of help are not going to be of much use. You need a policy intervention.Poverty is a curse, which I hope the new govt works on!

Effective Management

The difference between a leader and a manager is well known. To use an analogy- 'If there is a forest to be cleared, the leader will tell you where to cut, while the manager will tell you how to cut'. An oft heard cliché is, “The leader does the right things, while the manager will do things right”. The roles performed are not exclusive of each other as a person is sometime a leader, and sometimes a manager or both. It is important for a leader to know certain principles of managing effectively.

While there are as many styles of management as there are managers, there still is a unique quality that sets a good manager apart . An average manager plays checkers while a brilliant one plays chess. What’s the difference? Well... In checkers all the pieces are same, they move at the same pace and on parallel paths. Their roles are interchangeable. It is not so in chess. Here each piece is different. You won’t be able to play the game unless you know the way in which each of the piece moves. Great managers know how each piece moves. They know the weaknesses and strengths of each employee, and utilise them accordingly for a well coordinated attack on the task at hand. A leader may say, Well!... What about development? My personal opinion is that it is better said than done. Try to train someone who doesn’t speak much to be an MC for the next social function, and revelation will dawn on you sooner than you may think. A manager’s job is to turn one person’s talent into pure performance. A manager should know that no person, however talented, is well rounded. A manager can only succeed if he is able to identify each person’s unique ability. Capitalising on each person’s unique strength saves time, and time is of essence in today’s fast paced world. It also creates a stronger team as interdependencies are created. People learn to appreciate each other’s unique skills and are not hesitant to ask for help. If you have read the author Stephen Covey, you would know that Interdependence is a higher value than independence.
It takes a lot of time to figure out people’s strength, unless of course you have known them for many years. To know your people well, you should be out of your office at the scene of action, watching, noting people’s reaction to events, listening and asking questions. There is no substitute to this kind of observation. It also does wonders to their morale. 'The more time you sit in the office, less effective you will be', is generally true in organisations where teamwork is important.
Let us now discuss as to what is a strength and what is a weakness.A strength is not necessarily something which a person is good at. It is something which he enjoys doing and brings out the best in him. Likewise, a weakness is not something a person is bad at. It is something, which a person hates to do or tries to avoid doing. Although as a superior you should know both the weaknesses and the strengths of those below you, you should focus more on the strength, as that is what you need to leverage. You should also reinforce the strength by saying something like... “Hey Anjali, You are really good at designing stuff”. This will further increase the self assurance of the person.
At times you may be pushed into a corner. You want to work on people’s strength, but are forced by circumstances to work with someone’s weakness. What to do in such a case? Try the following
· Offer relevant training to the person, allow time for incorporation of skills, and look for the signs of improvement.
· Look for someone with complementary skills and put her on the team
· Try to adopt a process that achieves the aim through discipline ,rather than instinct.
A manager should also be alive to the fact that good performance requires triggers. One employee’s trigger might be tied to the time of the day, while for someone else a ‘Dusting of the non-existent dirt on the shirt, signifying care’ might do the trick. Somebody may require constant feedback, while another may construe it as micromanagement. By far, the most important trigger is recognition. For effective recognition, you must know the audience the person plays by. There was this person in my previous organisation who only used to feel good when appreciated one-on-one, while there was another who needed to be appreciated in front of his peers. And you will find an odd guy who will cherish a written proof of your appreciation, so that he can proudly hang it in his drawing room.
So ,the bottom line is that you should play chess and not checkers with your employees. Never try to push a knight into doing what a bishop does or vice versa. Do not treat everyone alike. Someone might need a kick on his.... (And believe me, he will love you for it), and for someone a kind word is necessary. Play on people’s strengths, if you are to succeed at your jobs, and if you want to achieve more in less time