Cost of Free
I remember when I was young (that was a real long time ago), a leading washing soap had announced an offer of an “Attractive Bowl” with three bars of washing Soap. Those were the days when my household would not have the luxury of bulk buying..the second Soap would cross our threshold only when no traces of first one can be found in any form or size. It was a period where 150% utilization was the norm. But to a young 15 year old, this advt was a true hooker.. just imagine an “Attractive Bowl” where one can keep so many things. And when the advt. would get telecast over the Doordarshan channel in our black and White EC TV, the “Attractive” adjective assumed connotation of a great cut glass bowl (close to today’s swarovski). After much salesmanship from a near “pig-headed” girl, my parents just gave in and decided to finance me for acquiring the three Soap bars, a near historic event. With all this preamble, you can imagine my consternation when the attractive bowl turned out to be a Cheap Plastic bowl of a sick green palor. The bowl got relegated to hold “Shikakai mix” in the bathroom and my large hearted parents never spoke about it ever, but I would turn red everytime I would spot the obnoxious “attractive bowl”. That was my first true tryst with the “Cost of Free!” but that was definitely not my LAST!
Over these years as a typical consumer and shopaholic I have paid money to buy a whole lot of things for “Free” from “Free Toy with an exhorbitantly priced burger” to “Free trip abroad to an exotic island (for which I need to first buy the exotic island!!)”. Getting something for free has been a bait that most of us bite eagerly much to the marketer’s delight and our frustration on hind sight. But this seldom stops us from reaching out next to choose a definitely higher priced product with a “Free” attachement over to a vanilla plain lower cost purchase. What makes us react in this “Predictably irrational” way to a free purchase? This has been an area of study for economists, marketing gurus and also people attempting to unlock the human behavior. Answers are plenty, hypothesis many – but cure few.
What becomes dangerous is when “Getting things for free” seeps down into arenas where critical decisions are being influenced. In B2B transactions these “Free” takes the form of service value adds. Especially if you are in small business or heading a department with limited budget, you tend to make decisions based on these “Value-adds” rather than core. We have seen our customers stuck with a domain name provider who promised free “Do it yourself” website – which turned out to be the most inflexible method of content management, we have seen cases where procurement team has chosen a vendor with a larger credit period – only to suffer delayed deliveries and poor quality, we have even seen business wring their hands helplessly after the software provider who promised free user training and 2 year support did not deliver the software on time!! In all these cases – it was this tendency of the decision maker to be distracted by the secondary value-adds from the servicing of primary need that caused the debacle. Most often these prove to be fatal distraction! While getting more value for money is an important aspect for decision making – it should not be the driving factor.
When we shop next time for either a new cell phone or a service from a vendor, apart from the MRP it may be wise for us to calculate “Cost of Free”
Carrying the Cross of being a Mentor
Being a true mentor is not a joke. It is not business. It is definitely not for ROI. It is for the sake of results, not yours but that of someone else. It is for the sake of the spirit of success, again not yours but someone else. It is the happiness of seeing the mentee achieve success that motivates the mentor. While the feeling is gratifying, the amount of effort one has to invest in all planes is not sparse. That is why I call it “carrying the cross” – taking the pressures and burden and genuinely feeling the need to make the mentee motivated and inclined to achieve results. What does it take to be a true mentor? Some of the key aspects include:
- Visualizing, Mentalizing, & Empathizing: Very often the mentor may need to visualize, mentalize and then empathize with the entrepreneur about his situation. Mentoring is not just advice on a certain aspect of the business, or a certain skill. It is rather for a balanced growth as a person and the business thereof.
- Practicing Candor: The mentors if they want to be true to their role need to practice candor. In a country like India where practicing candor may not show people in good light, this becomes increasingly difficult. But then it is this single aspect of calling a spade a spade, which will define the success of your mentee
- Enhancing the network: A true mentor takes the mentee one level higher in his professional life by enhancing his network by introducing the right people. This will happen only when the mentor has developed total trust on the mentee’s interest and also when the mentor can honestly say he is doing this without expecting any return, because network is something that is earned by the Mentor through a life-long process.
- Giving Selflessly: If the mentor has to see the mentee grow he/she must share the wisdom, experience, provide contacts and look at all possible ways in which the mentee can benefit from his association. For this to happen a rather subtle trait needs practice – selflessness! This trait is something that has to come naturally. It is quite difficult to teach or force selflessness into a person. So it is only those rare people who can see success of a stranger before themselves who become truly successful mentors. And let us remember the Mentor’s success is measured always as an extension of the mentee’s success.
Every Entrepreneur creates value for the ecosystem. It is Entrepreneurs who are going to shape India’s future. And Mentoring is going to be decisively the key strategy for ensuring this happens!!
Significance of Mentoring for an Entrepreneur
An Entrepreneur is one who is typically on a path that is new, untraveled, and different. He wants to break the tradition and live life differently. He is supposed to be a person who takes risks, travel paths generally not taken, fight against all conventional wisdom and generally is seen as a person averse to being told what to do. Then how and why does such a person require mentoring, which is more of a disciplining, channelizing and definitely a controlling influence? Is “Entrepreneurial Mentoring” then an oxymoron?
But then it is actually these very characteristics of an Entrepreneur that makes mentoring the most important and significant success criteria. Without an external unbiased stabilizing force, many Entrepreneurs will expend all their energy and resources in a sense of zestful abandon under the guise of trying to short circuit their route to success. If you examine the 95% of failed ventures or the 5% of successful ventures, the absence or presence of a strong guiding force will be seen as one of the key reasons. The force is not merely inspiring from a distance but is one that is ingrained and present in the everyday working of the Entrepreneur
Some of the reasons why Entrepreneurs require mentors, more so if they are young at age or lack enough experiences (I am not referring to age) may include:
Lack of experience: One often questions the wisdom that comes with age. Youth feel they’d rather not wait to get old to learn from life. But the advantage of having some one who has “been there” and “done that earlier” not only puts the Entrepreneur on a fast track learning route, but is key in stopping him from making costly mistakes.
Handling Situations: Having a mentor is like the safety valve in the pressure cooker. An Entrepreneur is almost always under pressure. If not released at regular intervals, the pressure could get dangerous and all that can happen is the lid blowing off. Similar to the safety valve, very often an Entrepreneur finds interaction with his Mentor soothing and reassuring. It helps the Entrepreneur to vent off his steam of frustrations, disappointments, fears and problems. This gives him time to react and think of solutions rather than take problems head on in an emotional manner.
A Checkpoint: Normally the Entrepreneur(s) take what comes on and generally operates in silos with very little check. They like the freedom, the responsibility, the risks, the results, etc They normally don’t like being questioned, but by appointing / accepting one as a mentor, they can put a checkpoint for their actions. This may, rather will add tremendous value to their decision making as decisions then are not outcome of reactions but are planned responses.
Trusted Sounding Board: Entrepreneurs today have access to coaches / consultants, but it is important for one to feel secure sounding off very important things to someone who thinks for the Entrepreneurs welfare without expecting anything in return except the Entrepreneurs success. This is where a mentor comes in and plays the important role. Because mentoring may not work too well if it is done like a service for a fee. The fact that a mentor is not attached to any benefit that his advice provides, nor is obligated financially to the Entrepreneur, is one that makes the mentor the most trusted and respected advisor.
Helping Hand
How many of us run to catch the child as it takes its first unsure steps? How many times we have held longer than necessary to the cycle that our ward is pedaling while trying to learn cycling? We do it almost every time we sense someone dear to us may falter as they take their unsure steps. While all these cases seem justified from a protectionist sense we wonder at times if we carry it too far when it comes to grown ups seeking help.
When we see someone dear to us go through cross roads of life, proactively we tend to move forward and extend a helping hand – along with set of well intentioned advices. A pep talk, a pat on the shoulder and at times a broad shoulder for a long cry, comprises our advisory kit bag. The advising episode often leaves both parties tired but feeling distinctly better. But then peace is short lived!! We are not decrying the noble efforts of the advisor. In fact, all of us have to be thankful for those large hearted people who are there for us any time all time. Life would be difficult without those who feel for others pain and worries. We just want to table another perspective of the art of advising
There is a firm belief that a problem can be resolved by being a good listener and sharing experiences. Also is the myth that dispensing of across the table advice is a proven recipe for resolution. Very often across the table advices, are given with a short term focus of only making the person feel better and hence is not the solution. In such cases, one will find the situation repeating itself in frustratingly frequent times with increasing intensity.
Sympathy, Empathy and Advice are different aspects of resolution of problem. While the first two are participatory and temporary, the only form of that proposes resolution is unbiased Advice. But when advice giving is confused with short term sympathizing and empathizing, it leaves the problem to only get stronger and larger.
To advice you need to understand the problem’s root, you need to understand the perspective of the person’s view point and you also need to acknowledge that view point as true however irrational it may sound on the first hear. And beyond all this you need to have a clear visualization of the solution from the person’s point of view and not necessarily only pulled from your experience.
Till date the most popular advice that has been dispensed to people who feel bad about a situation by a well intentioned advisor is “I don’t see why you feel this way. Just cheer up. Things are not as bad as what you imagine”. The advisor then goes on to amply justify by citing the many positive points that one can see in the same situation. As a result of effective oratorical delivery by the advisor, the person’s focus swings and synchs temporarily to the view point of the advisor. The picture now is perfect, every one retires happy. However, in due course the person begins to perceive the situation once again from his own view point, he gets increasingly confused as to why he is once again feeling disappointed. If there was no problem – then why is he feeling it? This also leads to the worst infliction – self doubt. He approaches the wise advisor and the advisor proceeds to push the perspective of the person under the carpet with vociferous, convincing, statistically proven positive data – all seen from the eyes and the experience of the well meaning advisor.
Very little time is spent by the advisor to understand “When I see so many positives, what is making this person view it otherwise? What is it that this situation is conveying to him? Why is this message being conveyed to him? And what should he do about it?” Very often if the advisor is closely involved with the situation, the unbiased point of view gets further compromised decreasing the ability to advice further.
When as a potential advisor, you feel pained by a close person’s turmoil – but cannot find reasons or rational for the same, it may mean you need to understand the WHY behind the pain better. It is not yet the time for dispensing advice, however helpful you may feel. You need to first trust that there is a reason behind the pain and however irrational, the reason needs to be found out. You need to be aware your bias and involvement may be preventing you from understanding this. This is the time maybe to empathize, saying “I understand you are troubled. I want to help – but am equally puzzled. Tell me if I can do anything that can help you clear the mist”. We need to understand Advice is not an intelligent opinion or a positive view. Advice is a method of encouraging the person to find answers, advising is guiding and not instruction.
This Diwali as we all practice the “Joy of Giving” let us also see if we can in a more mature manner learn and practice the art of “Giving Advices”
Playing Big Brother… is a responsibility
Recently we had the pleasure of reading the transcript of the address given by Ms. Indra Nooyi of Pepsi Co at the Columbia University Business School graduation ceremony. We did derive inspiration both from the message and the fact that it was delivered by an Indian! However what we want to share with you are the subtler thoughts of a sense of responsibility that this invoked.
In the speech Indra Nooyi touched upon a point about how the big must lend a helping hand rather than stretch and give the finger – a very bold and strong point! Taking cues from that we asked ourselves what lessons can entrepreneurs, business leaders and large business houses learn from it? All of us start small and aspire to become big. We go through experiences which shape our thoughts, ideas, actions, etc In the process of growth all of us change. As we grow and become bigger, there are others smaller trying to start from a place where we were. Do we spend time giving the helping hand?
During one of the recent conferences which we got to attend, we heard a very senior professional from the IT industry quote that the big have to start helping the smaller and younger industry counterparts to come up. He was quoting examples of how the TCS and Infosys of the country can provide for the growth of smaller innovative IT and other startups and thereby strengthen the overall industry and society. There is a lot of talk about how the grown-ups in business can help the starters – but is this happening at a scale that can create a healthy society? We need a lot of people, institutions, organizations, groups to think and foster a knowledgeable solution on how we can make the entire society move ahead in a healthy manner.
When you become big, you have the power to win and also redefine the rules. How many of us when we become big will stop to reset the rules of the game to suit the younger and smaller ones? How many times do we stop and indulge to give our entrepreneurs the small but much needed shove across the success line?
While there are lot of initiatives and corporate thinking on creating higher levels of corporate social responsibility, is there enough thinking by our industry leaders for giving the hand to create more of their genre?
While there is enough emphasis given on seeking help, there is very little talk on giving help. Playing Big Brother is a responsibility, not just an authority granted to be enjoyed! Being Big Brother is great, but behaving like a true “bada bhayya” is what will make all the difference.
We urge you to read on to the speech of Ms Nooyi and share with us any other thoughts that it gives rise to. The transcript of Indra Nooyi’s speech referenced above:
Good evening, everyone. Dean Hubbard, distinguished faculty, honored graduates, relieved parents, family, and friends, it’s a distinct pleasure to be in New York City this evening to celebrate the biggest milestone to date in the lives of you, the young men and women before us: your graduation from Columbia University Business School.
It may surprise you, graduates, but as big a night as this is for you, it’s an even bigger night for your parents. They may look calm and collected as they sit in the audience, but deep inside they’re doing cartwheels, dancing the Macarena, and practically speaking in tongues, they’re so excited. This is what happens when parents anticipate that their bank accounts will soon rehydrate after being bone-dry for two years. So, for everyone here this evening, it’s a very special occasion. And I’m delighted to share it with you.
I am keenly aware that graduates traditionally refer to our time together this evening as the calm before the storm. Some graduates — perhaps those who minored in self-awareness — refer to the commencement address as “the snooze before the booze.” However you describe my comments this evening, please know that I understand. It wasn’t that long ago that I was in your place. And I remember the day well. I knew that I owed my parents — my financial benefactors — this opportunity to revel in our mutual accomplishment. Yet, as the guy at the podium droned on about values, goals, and how to make my dreams take flight, I remember desperately checking and rechecking my watch. I thought, “I deserve to party, and this codger’s cramping my style!”
In one of life’s true ironies, I am now that codger. Well…I’m the female equivalent. A codg-ette, I guess. And I now understand that values, goals, and how to make dreams take flight, really are important. So being a firm believer that hindsight is one of life’s greatest teachers, allow me to make belated amends.
To that distinguished, erudite, and absolutely brilliant man whom I silently dissed many years ago: mea culpa. Big, BIG mea culpa!
This evening, graduates, I want to share a few thoughts about a topic that should be near and dear to your hearts: the world of global business. But, I’m going to present this topic in a way that you probably haven’t considered before. I’m going to take a look at how the United States is often perceived in global business, what causes this perception, and what we can do about it. To help me, I’m going to make use of a model.
To begin, I’d like you to consider your hand. That’s right: your hand.
Other than the fact that mine desperately needs a manicure, it’s a pretty typical hand. But, what I want you to notice, in particular, is that the five fingers are not the same. One is short and thick, one tiny, and the other three are different as well. And yet, as in perhaps no other part of our bodies, the fingers work in harmony without us even thinking about them individually. Whether we attempt to grasp a dime on a slick, marble surface, a child’s arm as we cross the street, or a financial report, we don’t consciously say, “OK, move these fingers here, raise this one, turn this one under, now clamp together. Got it!” We just think about what we want to do and it happens. Our fingers — as different as they are — coexist to create a critically important whole.
This unique way of looking at my hand was just one result of hot summer evenings in my childhood home in Madras, India. My mother, sister, and I would sit at our kitchen table and — for lack of a better phrase — think big thoughts. One of those thoughts was this difference in our fingers and how, despite their differences, they worked together to create a wonderful tool.
As I grew up and started to study geography, I remember being told that the five fingers can be thought of as the five major continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. Now, let me issue a profound apology to both Australia and Antarctica. I bear neither of these continents any ill will. It’s just that we humans have only five fingers on each hand, so my analogy doesn’t work with seven continents.
Clearly, the point of my story is more important that geographical accuracy!
First, let’s consider our little finger. Think of this finger as Africa. Africa is the little finger not because of Africa’s size, but because of its place on the world’s stage… From an economic standpoint, Africa has yet to catch up with her sister continents. And yet, when our little finger hurts, it affects the whole hand..
Our thumb is Asia: strong, powerful, and ready to assert herself as a major player on the world’s economic stage.
Our index, or pointer finger, is Europe. Europe is the cradle of democracy and pointed the way for western civilization and the laws we use in conducting global business.
The ring finger is South America, including Latin America. Is this appropriate, or what? The ring finger symbolizes love and commitment to another person. Both Latin and South America are hot, passionate, and filled with the sensuous beats of the mambo, samba, and tango: three dances that — if done right — can almost guarantee you and your partner will be buying furniture together.
This analogy of the five fingers as the five major continents leaves the long, middle finger for North America, and, in particular, the United States. As the longest of the fingers, it really stands out. The middle finger anchors every function that the hand performs and is the key to all of the fingers working together efficiently and effectively. This is a really good thing, and has given the U.S. a leg up in global business since the end of World War I.
However, if used inappropriately — just like the U.S. itself — the middle finger can convey a negative message and get us in trouble. You know what I’m talking about. In fact, I suspect you’re hoping that I’ll demonstrate what I mean. And trust me, I’m not looking for volunteers to model.
Discretion being the better part of valor…I think I’ll pass.
What is most crucial to my analogy of the five fingers as the five major continents, is that each of us in the U.S. — the long middle finger — must be careful that when we extend our arm in either a business or political sense, we take pains to assure we are giving a hand…not the finger. Sometimes this is very difficult. Because the U.S… — the middle finger — sticks out so much, we can send the wrong message unintentionally.
Unfortunately, I think this is how the rest of the world looks at the U.S. right now. Not as part of the hand — giving strength and purpose to the rest of the fingers — but, instead, scratching our nose and sending a far different signal.
I’d challenge each of you to think about how critically important it is for every finger on your hand to rise and bend together. You cannot simply “allow” the other four fingers to rise only when you want them to. If you’ve ever even tried to do that, you know how clumsy and uncoordinated it is.
My point here is that it’s not enough just to understand that the other fingers coexist. We’ve got to consciously and actively ensure that every one of them stands tall together, or that they bend together when needed.
Today, as each of you ends one chapter in your young lives and begins another, I want you to consider how you will conduct your business careers so that the other continents see you extending a hand…not the finger. Graduates, it’s not that hard. You can change and shape the attitudes and opinions of the other fingers — the other continents and their peoples — by simply ascribing positive intent to all your international business transactions. If you fail, or if you are careless, here’s a perfect example of what can happen:
A U.S. businesswoman was recently in Beijing, China, on an international training assignment for a luxury hotel chain. The chain was rebranding an older Beijing hotel. As such, the toilets in the hotel had yet to be upgraded. There were no porcelain commodes, just holes in the floor. Until recently, this was the standard procedure in China.
Now, 8,000 miles removed from the scene, you and I — and most Americans — can shake our heads and giggle at the physical contortions and delicate motor skills necessary to make the best of this situation. We’re simply not used to it. But to loudly and insultingly verbalize these feelings onsite, in front of the employees and guests of the host country, is bush league. And yet, that’s exactly what this woman observed.
In the hotel’s bar, the woman overheard a group of five American businessmen loudly making fun of the hotel’s lavatory facilities. As the drinks flowed, the crass and vulgar comments grew louder, and actually took on an angry, jingoistic tone. While these Americans couldn’t speak a word of Chinese, their Chinese hosts spoke English very well, and understood every word the men were saying.
And we wonder why the world views many Americans as boorish and culturally insensitive. This incident should make it abundantly clear. These men were not giving China a hand. They were giving China the finger. This finger was red, white, and blue, and had “the United States” stamped all over it.
Graduates, it pains me greatly that this view of America persists. Although I’m a daughter of India, I’m an American businesswoman. My family and I are citizens of this great country.
This land we call home is a most loving and ever-giving nation — a Promised Land that we love dearly in return. And it represents a true force that, if used for good, can steady the hand — along with global economies and cultures.
Yet to see us frequently stub our fingers on the international business and political stage is deeply troubling. Truth be told, the behaviors of a few sully the perception for all of us. And we know how often perception is mistaken for reality.
We can do better. We should do better. With your help, with your empathy, with your positive intent as representatives of the U.S. in global business, we will do better. Now, as never before, it’s important that we give the world a hand…not the finger.
In conclusion, graduates, I want to return to my introductory comments this evening. I observed that as big a night as this is for you, it’s an even bigger night for your parents. I ascribed their happiness to looking forward to a few more “George Washingtons” in their bank accounts. While this is certainly true, there is another reason.
Each of your parents believes that their hard work has paid off. Finally! They believe that maybe — just maybe — they have raised and nurtured the next Jack Welch, Meg Whitman, or Patricia Russo.
Don’t disappoint them. Don’t disappoint your companies. And don’t disappoint yourselves.
As you begin your business careers, and as you travel throughout the world to assure America’s continued global economic leadership, remember your hand. And remember to do your part to influence perception.
Remember that the middle finger — the United States — always stands out. If you’re smart, if you exhibit emotional intelligence as well as academic intelligence, if you ascribe positive intent to all your actions on the international business stage, this can be a great advantage. But if you aren’t careful — if you stomp around in a tone-deaf fog like the ignoramus in Beijing — it will also get you in trouble. And when it does, you will have only yourself to blame.
Graduates, as you aggressively compete on the international business stage, understand that the five major continents and their peoples — the five fingers of your hand — each have their own strengths and their own contributions to make. Just as each of your fingers must coexist to create a critically important tool, each of the five major continents must also coexist to create a world in balance. You, as an American businessperson, will either contribute to or take away from, this balance.
So remember, when you extend your arm to colleagues and peoples from other countries, make sure that you’re giving a hand, not the finger. You will help your country, your company, and yourself, more than you will ever know.
Thank you very much.
The Story of Dashrath Manjhi
We had the pleasure of listening to a high school student’s passionate pitch at a district level oratorical competition. What inspired us was not just the phenomenal delivery but also a story contained within the speech. A touching story of greatness so conveniently missed, a story of will, a story of perseverance, a story that everyone intending to do something different needs to read. Hence we present to our readers this speech. We hope it will touch you as much as it touched us.
The Talk:
“17th August, 2007. Dashrath Manjhi died. I read this news on page 10 of the Times of India, and, guess what the front page featured that day? Salman Khan & John Abraham, today’s role models, chorusing at a meeting in New Delhi – “Work hard and you could have our strength and biceps”. Huh! If only you had dumbbells to build the inner strength, not the biceps, you wouldn’t mow down innocent pavement dwellers after a boozing binge. Contrast this with Gandhiji, the half naked scarecrow framed fakir, his frail frame housing an indomitable spirit which could stop an entire nation in its tracks.
If Gandhiji had been alive he would have proclaimed Dashrath Manji to be one of his ilk. This poor , illiterate outcasted labourer from Bihar had a cast iron spirit. When his wife died at a young age from an illness that plagues most of India – no, not cancer or TB, not heart disease either, but inaccessible healthcare, he decided to turn adversity into an opportunity. His wife could have been saved – if only – he could have cut through a hill and taken her to a hospital, just 10 kms as a crow flies. Circumventing the hill took 50 kms, which on a bullock cart meant a death sentence for even a not so serious ailment.
In grief, he petitioned the government, pleaded with the bureaucracy and knocked on all possible doors to have a road cut through the hill so that his wife’s fate should not befall others with a similar plight. The local collector rebuffed his repeated pleas… and added sarcastic insult to bereaved injury by saying that if he was so desperate to help others, he could do the task himself…… Callousness and impoliteness have their silver lining. Dashrath Manjhi took this crude remark as a challenge and decided to do the job himself.
Ridicule, indifference and taunts were the gifts from his fellow villagers for his mission, and if you were in their shoes, even you would have been amused. How can a man cut through a mountain with just a hammer and chisel as his tools!! A half starved man at that! But Dashrath Manjhi was an ordinary man with an extraordinary spirit. He sold a few precious belongings to buy the hammer and chisel, shifted his house to the base of the mountain and after his day’s work as a labourer he chiseled away at the hill.
It took about 5 years for the ridicule to turn into grudging admiration… and another 5 years to transform itself into help in the form of food and water and an occasional hand to chip away the stones. Dashrath manjhi’s love for his wife was producing unimaginable results. In about 10 years time, people began to notice a change in the shape of the hill. Instead of a defiant rockface there was a depression in the middle and in a period of 22years, the mountain had been scaled,…. not by climbing it,… but by cutting through! Dashrath Manjhi’s love’s labor gave birth to a CLEAR FLAT PASSAGE through the hill measuring about 16 FEET wide, reducing a 50 km circuitous route to a mere 8 km.
The press had labeled him as a modern day Shah Jahan, though I personally feel that by doing so, they did a great disservice to his memory. The magnificence of Shah Jahan’s homage to his wife fills us with a sense of awe at the craftsmanship of 22 thousand artisans, while Dashrath Manjhi’s homage in the form of 22yrs of single handed hard labor makes us hold a mirror to ourselves, showing us the EVERESTIAN efforts our body and soul are capable of. To me Dashrath Manjhi’s abiding message is that when you expire, you should inspire….inspire others to make a difference!”
Note of thanks: On behalf of our readers and ichiban, we thank this young high school girl for giving us the opportunity to hear and learn from this story.
The Uneven Seven
“How do you make Seven Even?” was a question that was asked by a child of ten years to a family gathering which had people atleast twice as old as him. To humor him we all said “add 1”, “subtract 1”, “multiply by 2” etc. But he merely said “Are Yaar! Just remove the “S” in the Seven! You will get “even”. Immediately we all said good one.. and were all sure he had heard it from somewhere!
But it is also a fact that none of us adults there could think of this as an answer. It would be easy for us to dismiss this with the normal reasoning: “thinking out of the box” is greatly lacking. However we feel this could have happened because of two deeply ingrained qualities in us adults:
- While the question was asked in all earnest by the 10 year old, we were responding more to the child than the question. The concentration on the person behind the question (which in these circumstances reduced any need in us to take the question seriously) could have distracted us from thinking!
- Not taking the time to listen or understand the question. The question was how to make Seven – Even. Our experience told us Seven is an odd number. So the answer lies in giving an even numbered output. Our experience this time stood in our way of treating seven as an English word. Sometimes it pays to think as a child, hear and listen without interpreting
It is only when we stop relying that all answers will come from our past, can we think of something that is new. Our experience should guide our solution research in analyzing options but should not become a repository to draw out the solutions themselves. What are your thoughts?
The other side of Entrepreneurship
Today there is an ever increasing interest towards entrepreneurship. Almost everywhere and at all levels there is an increased inclination to start something new or do something different! Yes and today India’s environment has drastically changed from what was perceived a decade or two ago. Opportunities are there everywhere for entrepreneurial Indians who are willing to take on the challenges! That brings us to today’s write-up.
While much is being said about the positive side of entrepreneurship it is very important that budding entrepreneurs be told the truth about the struggles (not necessarily the business alone) that one goes through during the early stages. It is important to remove the chances of entrepreneurship becoming just another career option. If it doesn’t the mindset of the budding entrepreneurs could become like that of a short term capital market trader. I heard a few entrepreneurs speak recently and what struck me most was that entrepreneurship is today truly an alternative career option! Personally we feel that this is not true!
When you start a venture there is a totally different set of pressures that come into the entrepreneur; quitting cannot be because this alternative path is not as remunerative as what it seemed earlier. Because at least the serious entrepreneurs put their reputation at stake when starting. Sometimes when we come across people who call themselves entrepreneurs it is painful to observe that they are testing waters else they can always go back to work. One thing certain about entrepreneurship is that once you experience it there is no going back; there is no alternative career. Hence entrepreneurship is not a career option but a way of life.
Just as any other way of life it has its own set of rules, disciplines, knowledge and maturing cycle (unstated and implicit at times). One needs to prepare for this journey mentally more than anything else. While focus is given (which is also needed) on business plans, funding, market, etc what the budding entrepreneur needs is to understand the subject of business, economics, society, entrepreneurial lifestyle and mindset. He / She needs to clearly take this as a path of no return and then proceed and when one does this they are almost always certainly successful. Inspiration may be necessary all along the way as one move ahead on this path, but will plain inspiration be a reason for taking this path – will leave it as a question to ponder?
Hence just as in other walks of life there is the other side to entrepreneurship too, just that it is not something we have come to enjoy listening, but which if listened to, may create more formidable entrepreneurs for the future. This is important because India needs entrepreneurs who don’t just want over night fame and fortune but entrepreneurial leaders who can make a change in society, create a difference to people’s lives and in turn create more Leaders! For this the other side (rather the challenging side) of entrepreneurship needs to be understood better!
The Act of “Ticking”
Many of us have learnt from the story of ant and the grasshopper. The ant who toiled relentlessly for food through the summer and spring so that he can eat comfortably in the cold winter. The Grasshopper who danced and made merry in spring only to be sad and sorry in winter. A case in point indeed for working hard and keeping busy. And at times we feel a case in point that has been taken out of proportion.
This thought is coming out of a recent review. To bring some order into everyone’s working day we had introduced the concept of “To-do” list in beginning of the year January. More like a New Year resolution. We had infact acquired small to-do list pads and handed it to all our associates. It was a working rule that no-day will start unless you sit and put down items to be done for the day in your to-do list and at the end of the day – tick off the items and carry forward the balance to the next day.For a while we thought we were seeing a sea-change. Work was getting done faster. There seemed to be a sense of constant action and urgency at office. We all thought it was the magic of planning and prioritization. However it took exactly two quarters for this bubble to burst.
As we sat down this June for a quarter end review, we found a lot of our tasks that we had listed as strategic – pending. Many initiatives had not even started. None of our focus groups were functioning as effectively as they were in the beginning of the year. When we looked at work load – we found we have more associates to share the work – hence work/person had reduced. Much to our consternation we were unable to understand what was keeping us all so busy with no move on our plan. We requested all our associates to submit their to-do list for the last four weeks and lo! we found our answers. Every day – the to-do list had atleast 15 items – ranging from project deliverables to activities like even “Lunch” and “check mails”. All these activities were being done, carried forward if not finished. But not one sheet had a strategic activity in the list.
We reconvened and asked our associates how the to-do list was helping them. They were all unanimously in favour of the small table format that allows them to structure their day. They said it gives them a sense of satisfaction to see they were accomplishing planned work. They were going home satisfied. There were even comments like “When I cannot have atleast 10 things to do in a day – I know I can do more!” “When I cannot tick off an activity – it means I have not done my job”.
This is when we realised all our associates subconsciously have become victims of the “Ticking” syndrome. The ailment that makes you plan, but plan only for activities that can be ticked off at end of the day. The ailment, that makes you restless if you do not have anything to “tick off”. The ailment, that prevents you from indulging in long term strategic initiatives. The ailment that creates a false sense of “being busy” that you start trading your tomorrow for today. The ailment, that makes you run around all day only to find yourself back at the start point – and worse not allow you to realise this.
How often do we get afflicted in real life by this need to be doing something always? What proportion of your to-do list for the day is dedicated to tomorrow? Does your to-do list has “NON-TO-DO” items?
Today we have a new work system. The to-do list is still there. But this list allows the associate to plan work only for six hours. The remaining two hours are for activities that are NOT associated with any of the to-do list items. When we put this rule-we saw puzzled faces – incredulous looks and “here is another crazy idea” – but today after about three months we are seeing more books being pulled off our library to be read, we are seeing magazines being used and snippets of writing from our associates – and also we are seeing our projects get completed on time!!
Ok so what is the connection with the ant story? The ant worked hard not for its today – but for its tomorrow. What we have all taken to heart is only the fact that the ANT WAS BUSY. And all we do is BE BUSY. No doubt it is good to be busy – but it is more important to be BUSY about the right thing!
The Price of Success
“Decan Airlines” brings a lot of conflicting yet almost always interesting connotation in one’s mind. The small aircraft, the almost nil leg space, absence of food, possibility of flying to millions and the airline that has redefined the way people have been commuting! No, this blog is NOT about Air Deccan but a fallout of an Air Deccan incident, that was shared with us by our associate.
Supposedly the first flight of Air Deccan never took off. It taxied onto the runway and had to be stopped. The first flight was a failure. But this eposiode is NOT what comes to any of our minds when we think of Air Deccan today. We are not sure how Air Deccan team took to their heart this event and how they recovered and moved on to prove themselves. This blog is also not about the spirit of the team that went on beyond this failure to achieve their goals and beyond. This blog is about the ephimeral and fleeting memory that society has to failures as against their immediate harsh reaction.
Typically when someone fails may it be in a routine activity or worse in an attempt at doing something different, the reaction from the society is immediately one of amused “I told you so!”. In this regards we can say failure is a true leveller. Whether it is a young school dropout, ISRO’s chandrayan, NASA’s challenger or a brave entreprenuer – all of them are either sympathetically looked at or scornfully mocked! The magnitude of derision is proportional to the visibility and difficulty of the endevour. Society is scathing and quite unforgiving – or so it seems at that instant. But what happens to the same society when the boy who was a school dropout goes to find his own path as a great inventor, brilliant musician or a successful businessman? The society converts the same failure as stepping stone to his success. The failures are chronicled to tell the scores of others how these great persons inspite of their initial failures rewrote history. While we salute the spirit of the few who went beyond the derision to achieve greatness – there are million others who let go because of the heat of ridicule that they faced. All of them, took the society’s reaction, which is but temporary too seriously and too much to their hearts. Yet all it takes for us to make a mark is ONE STROKE OF SUCCESS..and that is what will be spoken and remembered!
If we all understand this as individuals we may have a greater resilience to take in the reactions from the society at large to our failures. And also we as individuals will truly start looking at failures of others as just a part of their growing and not necessarily a judgemental point. We feel the second part of all of us being able to take not only our failures but failures of others, also in our stride is what is going to redefine our success rates. When society becomes more open to failures only then more and more individuals will get courage to attempt and fail – so that they can succeed!! The connotation that this thought has to our daily professional and personal life is immense!!
