Successful Marriages.

Remember 3Cs in Married life.
Commitment, Compromise and Communication.
If you have these 3Cs with your best half, life will be smooth!

- Yours Truly!

And remember to have these with with only one ;)

Innovation

In the recent past, for all good reasons, there were a lot of dicussions that I happened to be on where Innovation was a term that was coming across as the most important thing. I do not deny it and for an organization that is as huge as mine, innovation should be the bare minimum we have to have in us.

However, when I heard something like let us start innovating, bring people together to innovate, I was a bit amused.

Is Innovation so simple? Can I bring in a few people together and say Innovate and they start doing that. I mean not just straight away, but say within an years time can they innovate? I bet no. Because, there is something called lateral thinking which is very important in any innovation as is the ability to have crazy ideas. People have to have it in them to be innovative. It needs a lot of passion, commitment, courage, hard work and ability to perservere as the pressure of time will always be there.

To me, Innovation can neither be a choice nor a force. I cannot, one day, stand up and say from today on I'll be an innovator, nor my boss can come and say, come on Raj you will have to be an innovator and I feel very stupid to even think that from next day onwards I shall start doing things differently.

Innovation is not just doing things differently. It is also doing different things. It requires will to change the way of life. It needs support. It can be in any form or department of the organization. It can be anything technical, operational and a lot of times even in management.

Innovation has to be a culture. It has to be in the DNA of a person and in the larger context, should also be in the DNA of the organization. As always, culture can only be fostered and not forced. We will have to give and take time to bring in the culture or even change or nuture this culture.

And in today's world, with everyone talking about time and cost (not price) it is not easy for someone to just innovate as he/she will need time and space to even think, then execute, test and have the fruits of the results.

Looking back, I know I have a few things that I have innovated at work and I think it helped. I just have to document them and may be share it with larger audience.

So in essence, innovation can never be forced upon. It can be fostered by instilling passion within the organizaation to be different and think differently.

- Raj.

Management Vs. Leadership

There is an ever ending debate and discussion on Management and leadership.

This recently surfaced in a forum called Key Talent @ HP and I was part of it. Don't ask me if I'm key to HP or if I have the talent ;). I, in fact asked the same question myself to the anchor.

Never the less, that is not the topic of discussion now. I thought of penning down my thoughts on these two and what differentiates a Leader from a Manager. Of course both these roles are good, equally important, and I mean no disrespect to management.

- Raj

Here we go....

Of course, the simple meaning could be Leaders lead and Managers manage. But the question always lingers on what more do the leaders bring in. How do they ensure the organization sees the difference. Here are my simple and short thoughts.

Managers Manage the battle; Leaders Lead the war.

Managers Plan; Leaders Stratergize.

Managers Debate; Leaders Decide.

Managers Delegate; Leaders Own.

Managers are for a Team no matter the size of it; Leaders are for an organization and no matter the size of it.

Managers enforce Processes; Leaders define Policies.
Managers Train; Leaders Mentor.

Managers Challenge; Leaders Inspire.
Managers Solve Problems they live with; Leaders Choose what Problems they live with.

Managers Manage Change; Leaders are the Change.

While the debate can invariably go on for ever, the fact is leaders inspire change in the minds and lives of their team. Leaders make people believe in the cause and galvanize them to march towards the cause, no matter how grave or great that could be!

As they say, leaders are not made; they are born. It has to come from within.

One cannot be a leader because he/she was appointed. He/She should have inherent capabilities of decision making and owning them immaterial of their results! Most importantly, he/she should have ownership towards the followers and understand that each and everyone is unique and has something to offer towards the cause.

Well, in today's corporate world, these may be hard to exhibit and sometimes ones who have these qualities may even be ridiculed, but only by people above them and if you are a leader you will not be judged by people above you but by people who follow you.

Leadership is all about coaching, mentoring, guiding, inspiring, enabling and empowering the next level people and after which I sit in the grand stand enjoying the view of them succeeding! And the grand stand view would simply be very amazing while it is not so easy to get into that!

Be the Leader and be the Change!

- Raj

Hi 2012; Ta Ta 2011!

I know its been a while since I've blogged. It was kind of a planned absence and forced upon myself. So here I'm and am back ;).

I thought of penning down what every human being on this earth would got out of 2011 and I fairly sense that it would remain the same for every year. An honestly, it was my first post on FB this year! Just sharing it here.

Enjoy reading.

- Raj

Thanks 2011.

As Always, Life - you were wonderful,

throwing me challenges so I could learn,

giving me problems so I remain vigilant,

putting me in difficult situations so I remain to value people,

and sometimes giving me success so I remain afloat!

There were,

joy even out of pains,

cheer even out of failures,

happiness even out of challenges,

success out of no where!

I know am more a better person than what I was on 1st January, 2011. I prevailed with the support of every individual who knew me!

Welcome 2012. I'll learn and I'll prevail. This is not arrogance, but something born out of self-assurance ;). And I really do not have a choice too!

And I start my year with a clean slate so successes of the past are not counted, but memories of them will!

Happy New year to everyone! May the New Year, bring in a lot of joy, cheer, happiness, success, growth, peace and harmony into our lives.

- A normal Human Being

Birth Day Acceptance Speech - 2011

Thanks to all the love and attention that was showered yesterday!
All the emails, messages, phone calls, FB, Orkut, personal visits. It is just so an amazing feeling to be loved.

When I look back at my life at large, I'm really fortunate to have good people around me and always. Family, friends, work, team and everyone that I have met in my life have been very kind to me and have always been with me and wished that I always fared well.

Yes it was a day to remind me of those people who cared and loved me a lot. Also, a day which told me that possibly am not returning all that love and care! Well, anything that I would say are excuses but not the reasons. Need to see, how best I can get out of shell of so called over working! But certainly realize that I need to do more than what am doing now to my family and friends. I know I have said it in the past, but well, I'll keep trying until I set it right.

While I do not celebrate any days, I have to admit that it really felt good to be remembered and loved! And it was so special that my entire family was with me for probably the first time in the last 15 years on my B'day.

It is Bliss and Bless!

Keep loving me....

I love to be loved....
I live to be loved!!!!

- Raj

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs! A man who is responsible for the world to change the way it operated!
Thanks Steve. Not just from an Apple perspective, but as an human and a source of inspiration to all of us. You let us all know that life is nothing but a journey until death and only we can choose to make it worth a journey!


You did and am glad to have lived during your times!


May you rest in peace!


- Raj

A tribute a good friend Senthil Manikkam.

A 34 year old, father of 6 year old daughter died in an unfortunate accident when a two wheeler from behind hit him while he was riding and all that he had was a broken nose. But he passed away in a couple of hours. Apparently, the damage to his nose was so deep that it hit the brain and closed the channels to the lungs and he succumbed to this! Had he wore an helmet, we would have never been in a situation of consoling that little Angel and her mother.

Gayathri, Mrithula, Vivek and Amma, may you have all the strength in this world to get over this and start a life again. For once, I wish God is true and he can erase away this pain as I feel it myself.
Senthil. You had lot more to offer to this world. We will dearly miss you. Rest in Peace.

I have heard of lot many incidents like these, but this one really is shaking me to the core. It is so difficult for me to comprehend this situation.

Riders! Please wear helmets.

It is not a difference between life and death. It is rather the wellness of the people who you care for and their lives thereafter! Be responsible to them as they are your life and you are their life.

Congress, Lokpal, Ramdev, Civil Representatives and Stupid Indians!

Congress Achieved what it wanted to achieve with Ramdev!

Now the focus is on Ramdev and the attrocities and not on Lok Pal!

Even The civil representatives are curious about this and are boycotting the panel discussion today and will do so even tomorrow! What a shame! What a shame!

Congratulations Kapil Sibal, you now can get highest rating during your performance appraisal this year!

Ramdev, we all know your political ambitions and if ever your have true intentions, fight along with others and with pragmatic requests. If everyone with money starts doing this, what is the difference between corporate lobbyists and you? Both of you do it because of excess money! They have bought MPs and you are trying to make them! Stop it for now and ensure that Lokpal is tabled!

Stupid Indians: We can now bet that Lokpal will not be tabled this monsoon session and we can very confidently say that it will never be! I will be glad if am wrong!

- Raj

என்ன தான் நடக்கும் நடக்கட்டுமே...

இருட்டினில் வீதி மறையட்டுமே...

Nilaa.. First day at Play School.

Yeah First day at play school for Nilaa...

Was a bit emotional for me and as well as tensed... Now this lady is moving out of her comfort zone and will now be taught more lessons than what a mother and father would be able to. I know this is not something that she can escape from, but cannot imagine the pace with which her life is moving on! It seemed that it was yesterday that she was born, but now, it is time for me find a good school to put her in! A bit scary :).

All in the morning, everything was perfect from her wake up to morning chores to breakfast to getting ready and her drop by Leela. I only wish it stays the same everyday.

And need to mention, Leela and the preparation she had done for this, is incredible!

While I was tensed and emotional, was excited too. And as always this is a moment to Celebrate and will Cherish the enthusiasm Nilaa showed while entering her school.

As a dad, I hope she does well :)

- Raj.

பிள்ளை நிலா பள்ளி செல்ல... அவள் பையோடு என்ன இதயம் போக கண்டேன்...

Blessings & Lessons!

All of us have a lot of complaints against people in our lives; mostly when they do not live up to our expectations and of course when many a times they end up screwing our trust by their misdeeds and actions.
That's when we realize that these people are not worth to be in our lives! Well, physically may be yes, but emotionally can we throw someone out of our lives? I do not know, but here is my thought!

There are two kinds of people that we can see in life.
1. Some come as blessings.
2. Some come as lessons.

Can we live without these two? Of course, we need both. Rather than treating people as not important in life any more, let us treat them as lessons and move in life. We can never get rid of anyone in our lives! 

- Raj