Redemption

Even as we celebrate the great #dhoni so must we be inspired by #Dineshkartik. You can wait a lifetime in the shadows but never give up. You can live the best years of your life knowing that your talent is unutilized. You can take all the condescending, pitiful, sneering, joking words and still carry on... Because one day, one moment, one situation will come when you will hold the honor of a billion on your back. And you will do what you always believed you would do. Win the game and become the hero that you know you are. #redemption

India beyond scams

The taxi driver asked these question, "How is it that a poor man like me is unable to get a few lakh rupees car loan from a bank but a rich man gets thousands of crores against no securities whatsoever? Why is it that I have to run from pillar to post and finally raise money at a huge interest from dubious finance companies while banks trip over each other to fund the rich man and renegotiate his interest even when he defaults? How is it that the rich man siphons off money for years without getting caught and I'm pulled up if I miss one installment on my car loan? Why it it that it's becoming increasingly difficult for me to simply manage my livelihood while the rich man multiplies his wealth many times over? Sir, WHY ARE THE RICH GETTING RICHER AND THE POOR GETTING POORER IN OUR DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY? It's because somewhere in the past we replaced our national role model.  We traded Mahatma Gandhi for a business icon known to twist and break the rules to become wealthy. That day, our nation lost its collective moral compass. We stopped seeing wrong as wrong. A wrong that managed to not get caught became accepted as right as long as it made one wealthy. We gave away righteousness to gain wealth. We have only ourselves to blame. Change will happen only by resetting our moral compass.

Dharma in Indian Industry

Indian industry needs to find its soul if it has to flourish. Right now most Indian companies consciously follow western philosophies but unconsciously blend into it, local practices. We have to let go of this confusion and discover who we truly are. Our own ancient texts have walked these paths, before we were reduced to penury by foreign rule - that obliterated our own concept of society, behavior and professionalism. The philosophy that we can make our growth engine, that which has been forgotten and obfuscated is the concept of 'DHARMA'. Today reduced to meaning 'religion', mistaken for 'karma' and confused with the Buddhist interpretation (cosmic order) India's redemption lies in the rediscovery of the true meaning of DHARMA: Duty Through Right Actions. The Dharma of education institutions should be to awaken this in students. Of the government & organizations to enable it and of leaders to inspire it. A culture where doing the right and enabling it is everyone's duty. #culture #industry #dharma

No Substitute

A few years ago, one of India's premier engineering colleges (I believe it was BITS Pilani) had invited a distinguished luminary as the chief guest for their Golden Jubilee celebrations. After completing the initial proceedings the emcee invited the chief guest, seated in the front row, to share his thoughts with the audience, amidst thunderous applause. The gentleman approached the podium, waited for the applause to die out, then smiled and gently said, "Work hard." Having said this, he quietly returned to his seat. The audience was utterly confused and on the urging of the organizers the harried emcee rushed to the mike and entreated the Chief Guest to say a few more words. The gentleman obliged, once again walked up to the podium and said, "Work hard", then returned to his seat. The pin-drop silence lasted only a few minutes before the full impact of the great man's words sunk into the distinguished audience. I'm told, the standing ovation that followed is yet to be matched in the history of that finest of institutions.

#success #hardwork #professional #lifetruths

Happy New Year!

#newyear #happynewyear 

Why the #NewYear doesn't matter.

1. Because  time isn't running out for you.  Expect to live beyond 80 & plan to work till 75. So if you're 45, you have 30 years of work-life to go! So don't let age become a barrier in your mind. Keep the energy flowing!
2. Because you haven't lost time in 'finding your passion'. Not all of us have one. We chose to do what we are currently doing after considering many options, making a good decision. Just believe in it!
3. Because you're not just doing the same job repeatedly. You're actually getting better at it. Genius- data says- isn't about DNA. It's about hours and hours of practicing and perfecting a skill. 10,000 hours to be precise. So if you've crossed 5 years in your current job, you're close to mastering it. Don't lose that advantage. On the contrary, stick with it and in a while you've be commanding a premium for your expertise.
4. Because change is not about what's happening around you, rather it's about what's changed about you.When age and passion aren't restrictions in your mind, go out and initiate new things. More than the reactions of people, you will feel the change & know that you're actually riding it!
New Year's Day is just another day. But a fresh approach, is a whole new YOU!

 Happy New You!
#career #life #work #professional #worklife #newthought

Don't kill it!

Don't let one failure kill your zeal for thinking out-of-the-box.

I've seen this happen thousands of times. With clients, colleagues, professionals & creative directors.

The failure of an idea closes the doors on any further effort to think out-of-the-box.

All professionals agree on one thing, that out-of-the-box thinking is the need of the hour. Then why is so little of it happening?

If you set aside technology companies, almost no large company is embracing this unquestionable truth. Why is this so?

The reason is simple: "A burnt child dreads fire" Take a company facing fierce competition or with an ambitious growth target. An out-of-the-box idea is the need of the hour.It develops one along with its agencies and research teams. It earmarks a huge marketing budget, top professionals in the company put their careers at risk to back the idea. A huge PR campaign is launched and the product is rolled out. After the initial euphoria, no great growth is seen. The naysayers within the organization draw out their daggers and heads begin to roll.

For the company & the professionals who lost their jobs one question is asked repeatedly, "Who told you to do this? at least you would have a job!" There's now a unspoken bad word within the company - "out-of-the-box". Everyone flinches from it. The professionals who join other places come down hard on anyone in their team who uses these blasphemous words! Nobody want's to be unemployed again! Even though everyone can see the end of the organization looming, they now prefer to sit tight and keep shut. Sad, but true.

We must understand that an idea carries high risk and seek learning not scapegoats. Standing still or flowing with the tide is also failure.