The World today and our Hypocrisy!

I probably know that this is not a moment for me to show this emotion, but can't help but express it.

So yet another person died in the hands of the police who are supposed to be guarding us from the dangers of the evils. Make no mistake, the men and women in uniform have always protected us and like in every form life, there are always exceptions.

But, that mentioned, it really does warrant an outrage and justifies all the protests that goes around globe! However, I feel a bit hypocritical about fighting for just one race or one living being! Is Alyan Kurdi not worthy of this protest? Are the thousands that have been displaced from Syria not worthy of these protests? Are thousands that are fighting in Hong Kong not worthy of these protests? Are the millions that were separated from their homeland in Srilanka not worthy of these protests? Are the billion odd people who are oppressed in China not worthy of these protests? Are the thousands that lost their lives in Iraq/Libya not worthy of these protests? 

Each year, thousands die because of gun violence. Mad men with guns get into school and shoot children. Don't those lives matter too? We are all putting our next generation to the dangers of Climate change! Should we not do anything about it? Is it not just hypocritical to fight for one race when there are so many more such races which face this! Future Generation is in itself a race, in my view!

Please make no mistake that am against this moment or the movement. Black Lives do matter and so do other lives as well! Every war/battle/fight/protest needs a purpose. And at this moment what I see is a very narrow view of all us. I strongly feel that this cannot be a moment or fight for just one race, it has to be holistic in nature towards the systemic social injustice and violence that is there across the globe. Else this will be one other moment/movement like the MeToo moment/movement and this shall also pass. For what I remember, if people had a sustained effort after Dr. King died, we would have not had this conversation! We are just the puppets of a very few who can manipulate our actions for their own purposes and keep the challenges alive while killing lives!

Again, make no mistake! I'm not complaining! I'm just anxious that we are not fighting for the right purpose, while also highlighting our hypocrisy! And after all, even I'm an hypocrite who cries foul when an elephant or a lion is hunted down, but can eat chicken and goat!

And so.... Each and every life should matter! Can we think like that? The change cannot be left to just the policy makers, but in people's minds as well!

Regards,

Raj.

COVID-19: Aftermath

So here we go, after a long while penning my emotions.

I was sitting in office today for the weekly leadership meeting. One of the guys was sneezing and worst is he traveled into Texas, the previous day! I even nudged him politely stating it worries me that he is sneezing and that, may be, he should not be in office! But he shrugged it off and the other guy wasn't worried like I was.

During my presentation, the risk aware me, raised the potential risk of disruption due to COVID-19 and almost instantly the question from the two was like, what about it? I said, we need to come up with a BCP for it because it is spreading fast and it was question of time that we prepare for it. It was a pause for a moment and I was hoping that it was taken seriously. The answer was, a lot more silence!! Mind you, this was last week, when the number of cases around the globe was raising and Italy is at the kind of brink.

That evening when I was driving back, I could not help but think of the below and I thought I may want to record it and look back how this had panned out.

- This virus is gonna bull doze a lot of things.
- The world would have changed forever.
- Economy will go down a lot. A lot of us will lose jobs.
- Food shortage because of transport and/or famine.
- Across the globe, social unrest will be there. With no money and job to earn money, people will turn to looting and stealing.

This will not be an easy world going forward. I for one, feel a bit weird. I feel a lot scared, but have to pretend to be brave for the sake of my girls!

At the other end of the pandemic, we may have changed forever. Whoever survives the virus and the violence, may be can restore what we used to call as humanity!

Hope that I'm wrong. Generally am not this pessimistic, but 1 week into that discussion, my folks at office do not realize what is and why we need a BCP.

And so is the leadership of many countries. Some have kind of shut things down and some haven't. But to me this is not just about virus, but also about the world after that! I'm not sure if any country leader is thinking about it! What and how to go about the disruption and potential social unrest!

All I can do today is to hope! Hope is the first cure for all problems!

Why do we need sports in life

Been a long time that I've blogged, but felt I should record it.

Over the weekend, after a hard fought Nilaa's volleyball game, I was having a conversation with her coach and the conversation turned to why did Nilaa get to a sport. He had his reasons, but mine was, sports is very much a good medium that builds an attitude for life. He was like, how so? Sports allows us to be in the real. It doesn't matter what your previous point was, you have to get back to reality to face the next ball. And it puts you in the moment. He was like, this is a good perspective.

This is exactly what I used to tell both my girls. Learn that attitude from sport! I still practice to get out at least once a week even after 40, is just to practice to be in the moment. 

Sports gives you attitude!! Allows you to practice CAP Of life. Committement, Attitude, Passion!!

So get out and give yourselves an exposure to a sport and most importantly to your kids!

Possibility from Probability

 Just a random thought...

Can possibility and probability co-exist? While in theory, it is not possible, I think in reality all of us are a real good example of them. 

Let's look at it simply. We are one in a billion which is allowed by an egg, That is the probability. From there on, here we are a possibility. If that tiny little sperm can beat all odds and bring us into reality, what can we not acheive?

All of us are born acheivers! It is just that we need to keep it going!

Regards,
Raj.

Lesson from Tides and Sun.

Last month, at dawn, on a Chennai beach resort, I happened to be sipping a coffee in a relaxed fashion and watching the Sun rise over Bay of Bengal!

I was seeing this beautiful work of Universe/Galaxy/Mother Earth in play. As serene and calming it was, this is what was stuck with me on how arrogant or in one sense igonorant, we have all become.

What do tides teach us? Perseverance: They keep trying every moment to breach the shore. They never give up!

What does Sun teach us? Hope: Each day Sun comes (I know earth rotates and not Sun) back with a hope that we will get better and not giving up on us, giving us another chance.

Imagine, if the tides succeed and/or Sun gives up! It is destruction! That is how fragile we are as the potentially only conscience in this universe, at least at this point!

The lesson I took from that morning is, keep hoping and persevere! If we lose hope and don't keep trying, life ends!

Regards,

Raj.

Integrity undefined

There was a question on Integrity in one of the conversations I was having with my friends. Not sure if I read it somewhere, but, here was what I said as my definition.

Integrity is not about doing something right when someone is watching, but it is about not doing the wrong thing when none is watching! Meaning, doing the right thing, being the right thing at all times! Is it possible? I believe yes! If we are true to ourselves, I think we can!!

Regards,
Raj.

Team Play

Sometimes, we got to love the likes of Facebooks for they share a lot of different perspectives. I was watching below because of a FB share and was really overawed by the performance.

While this was an amazing performance (every lady on that team was truly a talent), what it exhibited was the attitude and spirit of being a team. All the attributes of being a team is simply for us to view. Apart from Passion, will to succeed, determination, what I saw were coordination & cooperation & collaboration & co-existence & courage & consideration & care.

We can see that each one wanted everyone to succeed. Each one knew what her role was and importantly others' as well. Each of them knew what needs to be done to be a winning team. They were willing to bend themselves so that others' targets were achieved. They slowed down a bit so that others caught up. They shared their cups when others had less. There was no one leader and everyone was allowed to lead when needed; and everyone stepped in when a need to lead the team arose.

Above all, there was enough trust between them. They always believed that someone was there to catch their property when it was in air, even when others were at their backs!

A best way to see this performance is an execution as a team and survival as a team and success because of being a team. A very good lesson for all the teams across all industries!

Regards,
Raj.
PS.: I'm using this video as an appreciation for their performance and also to share my views on how they performed as a team.

What is Lust?

Most often than not, people tend to portray lust as a very dangerous, derogatory, unwanted, unneeded and unpleasant factor. Especially relating to Humans.

In my view, lust is the most misunderstood and misrepresented term and only defined from the view of sexual desires within the confines of physical pleasure. Little does anyone acknowledge that without lust this world wouldn't even grow. Let's try dissecting my statement. If lust is something that attracts opposite genders physically, that's a bee does to a flower, which creates pollination turning a flower into a fruit and in turn giving us seeds to have more trees! Likewise, a male-female attraction is what allowed to world to blossom into what it is now! And that attraction was fair and square because of lust, how can that be scary than being sacred!  

Not sure how and when every culture started disrespecting lust. But in tamil literature, to be very specific our own Thiruvalluvar defines all of his kurals under categories. அறத்துப்பால் (pronounced as Arathupaal meaning Morality), பொருட்பால் (pronounced as porutpaal meaning Material), காமத்துப்பால் (pronounced as Kaamathupaal meaning desires and Kaamam alone translates to lust); 3rd one being what we are speaking about. If Valluvar defined it as one of the main elements/pillars of your life, it has to be important. After all, all of tamil literature references back to Thirukkural! 

Over the course of time, Lust from being one important element of life to, being the most dangerous element, I think, the humans made it into that! 

So in all, my perspective, Lust is like every other emotion, feeling and also the most basic instinct that any living being has. There should be no shame in admitting to that!

Regards,

Raj.

Employee Engagement

In today's corporate world there are a lot of initiatives that are run for improving their employee engagement index. Somewhere, I think there is a disconnect on what it means to the employee. In my view, I think, the more often than not, the whole discussion of Employee engagement for some strange but valid reasons are revolving around fun, outing, lunch, family and so on. I feel it is absolutely necessary, however, in my view it just probably 10% of it.

The other 90% is all about (not in any particular order). There could be many more to this list as well.

• line of sight (how do I contribute to overall organization’s goals)
• how employees feel valued (rewards, recognition, appreciation)
• am I listened (skip levels, luncheons)?
• how my mistakes are received (encouragement to be innovative, am I shielded by my manager)?
• how is my team environment (support from my peers, friends)
• how secured do I feel about my company’s prospects (any press release or rumors within market)?
• am I respected for what I’m (Manager treating everyone equitably)?
• do I have a work environment where I can contribute (training's/support system)?
• does my manager care about me and my well being (professionally and also personally)?
• am I learning constantly (new challenge)?
• are my ideas received well (or at least not ridiculed)?
• have I grown (career progression, new role)?

These all directly relate to the immediate manager on how he/she manages his team mates. How well has a manager enabled, respected, trusted, challenged, motivated, related, empathized with his/her direct report is what it matters. The manager's leadership styles, character, personality and most importantly honesty and integrity of the manager matter a lot. And as one of my friend said, there is no specific formula for Employee Engagement and it cannot be generalized, for all we know, even the above factors may mean different to different individuals. 

It is also all about those intangible emotions like passion, pride, honesty, integrity, commitment, respect, trust and so on and these have to be exhibited by the manager first and which will trickle down to the team. These can never be measured with numbers!

To me, Employee Engagement starts and stops with the immediate manager! It is a huge responsibility on the manager's shoulders to keep an employee feeling engaged and have him/her motivated to be committed to the organization, particularly in these trying times that we have put ourselves in!

- Raj

Women!

The other day at work, on the 8th of march, we have been celebrating the International Women's day.

I thought it is a bit unfair to Women to celebrate them on just a day. Never the less, here is what I said and thought.

Every single relationship that a woman gives to a man has a lot of meaning. The below are a few roles that I see from my perspective and what they mean to me.

Grand Mother - Give unconditional love and affection. 

Aunt - Give the sense of direction and guidance.

Friend - Give a new perspective about life.

Daughter - Give the purpose of a life.

Sister - Trusted and loyal friend forever.

Wife - Life.

Mother - God (though I say nature is God and that is why we call her Mother Nature!)

Of course, there are many other relationships which mean a lot to a man and I mean no disrespect by missing them. I think they are pretty much included in the list above!

A woman is creator. Everyday is new and let us celebrate her everyday!

Women complete men!

- Raj

A Talent called Kamal Hassan!

There has been a lot said about Viswaroopam being a commual movie. Here is my thought that I shared on my FB wall added with few more emotions that came from this day! This is not against any section of the society! Kamal Can withstand these crap, I cannot!

- Raj

Sorry Kamal! Or Should we say... Apologies Kamal? Sorry that you are not celebrated because you are an Indian born in Tamil Nadu! 

What is secularism in India? I really now am confused!

We cannot just generalize and make it a communal problem... Movies are entertainments... 

If this goes like what is being said, then no movie should be released... All Thamizh/Indian movies have gundas or villains .. And not all of them are Muslims or not always are they are non Muslims... 

From Nayagan to Paruthiveeran we have enough examples of where a lot of different religions, castes and sections of society have sourced the villains in the movies... Doctors/Engineers/Advocates/politicians/Media/Students/Police even beggars, every section that we can think of has done that.. 

If every community starts making issues something like this then world cannot move on... Besides this is not politics.. this is bloody entertainment... Entertainment has to be entertainment, it cannot be taken as a judgement about an issue or a cause! 

If Viswaroopam is not released at all, can we say terrorism will stop? Can anyone from the Muslim community that states this as a communal movie, guarantee that no Muslim will be involved in any terrorist attack ever across the globe? If that is the case and they can stand up and state this, let us all support them...  But, it can never be possible, because terrorism has no religion. When a bomb explodes it does not know whether it kilss an Hindu or a muslim or Singala or Thamizh or otherwise. All it needs to find someone dead, is that someone being alive just before it explodes. It does not know color, caste, creed, gender, religion or even age! Do not bring these into entertainment world and play this bloody cheap politics of using Kamal's fame to gain fame which is worse than being a beggar...

People who do not like Kamal, he respects that. You may hate him, but you cannot ignore him because he never gives you that choice! You will watch his movies no matter what!

Let that movie come out and let us all enjoy it! We cannot just be suppressing a great talent by cheap politics. But, be assured! 

Every hurdle will make him reach his goal faster! 

Every criticism will make him wiser! 

Every fall will make him climb the heights that none can dream of! 

And every failure is a success for him! 

So, as a simple Kamal Hassan Fan, I request all not to reduce his speed. Imagine what all he could do without these hurdles! It would be absolute waste of a talent for him to be running around to solve these issues. Allow him to be who he is! He will bring laurels to this nation and land!

Don't worry Kamal Hassan! Time will prove everyone wrong and you right like every single time! You have been ahead of us in time at least by 10 years always! Happy that we have lived in your era!

We know you will never quit! Thanks for what you have been so far and what you will be! Keep proving us wrong! We will be glad that we have been defeated by a world class talent!

Happy 2013!

When I look back at the year 2012, I'm a bit surprised how sanely did I pen down something at the start of the year and I feel it holds good for the current year as well..... Here is what I wrote last year!

But when I look ahead am a bit skeptical as I do not know how to wish for this New Year! It has become very customary to say Wish you all a Happy and prosperous New Year, every single year! But at the end of every year when we try to reflect back, we almost have not had what we have been wished for at least as a society or as a Nation or even as a race. 

Each year we go through a lot of back stabbing, deceptions, mistrust, disrespect and so on that sometimes it feels so inhumanely impossible to believe that we are human! Worst is, it keeps increasing every year. Can it be stopped? Of course yes!! After all, we are humans and can't we return to be human again? This is nothing personal for or about me. It about us as a race in this world.

I see the problem for all of this is greed! Greed for anything and everything! Isn't it? Isn't greed the mother of all problems we have in this world today? We live in a world where we trust money more than people around us and buy security with our money. Not sure how we could have changed so much for trust was the basis of everything.

I'm not trying to be negative here, in fact, am trying to see how we can remain positive about our future and what we need to do to live an happy life! And let me be also honest, am in the same league as others! This is no mean an advice to everyone.

So, here I'm wishing myself and everyone an year with less greed and work towards what only we need! Let us go back to our roots or at least search for them! Am sure we were lot humbler a few decades back!

In this New Year,

         May we feel lot safer because of people around us and not because of money!

         May this world get the peace and harmony it deserves! 

I want to still call the Year 2013 as the year of Optimism!

-Raj

Childhood now and 20-25 years back.

The other day at office, a few of my friends over lunch were having a discussion on how our generation was when we were kids and what were the advantages of those days.

One thing that we debated was on the art of relationship building, how our generation (age group) built that talent.

In those days, when I was a kid, I used to get out of my house myself, make friends and play with them safely. From where I hail from, the friends that I had then are still mine. They continue to be who they are.

How did they become friends? Not like how it is now. None of our parents brought us all together and said be friends. We got out, we shook hands, became friends, formed a team, bought a team bat, sticks and ball, played together, went for matches (ball bet matches). Nobody taught us how to become friends or how to be careful from people who are harmful. These instincts were ours and only ours. We even knew each others strengths and weakness (there was no luxury of coaches), who will bat up the order and who will bowl the first spell and so on. This of course did not stop with Cricket. When there was football fever, we did the same with that game as well. Of course, everything in the localized games as well like the Bambarams, killi thaandal, Koli Gundus, Ice Numbers, Medu pallam etc.,.

We built the art of team building, knowing each others strengths and playing accordingly to the situation. No matter what happened (like losing the ball bet matches) we all stuck to each other as a team and we ensured that we bring our pocket money to buy the new ball! We knew how to survive as a team more than with the team we build in our corporate world (I mean no offence here, but the politics of corporate world is a separate topic altogether)!

Our friendships did not stop there alone. We went to build relationships with each others family and eventually we become family friends. We took our friends family as our family, our moms, our sisters, our brothers. Was it not a good example of building relationship?

Back then we had one bat/kit for the team and often it used to lie in some one's place depending on whose parent was less strict. We could move in/out of every one's house irrespective of how rich one was or if they had a girl and so on. There was trust in everyone and everything (of course once the trust was established). 

While I cannot complain on the current system where we talk to our neighbors on the social media than personally, we talk to our friends over phone, chat and email than again personally, sometimes am scared. I see a lot of parents complaining that their children do not get out of their houses and play and that they need to force them out. For we ourselves do not have any great relationship with the neighbors, how would we expect children to do that? I'm scared because I wonder what it would mean to Nilaa in future. Would she have the instincts to build the skill of building trust, relationship and team? 

Each child now has a bat/ball on his/her own. Where would they have the life's training of how to build trust and respect? I'm concerned that the current generation may not have the instincts of adjustment and for all I know the families are get increasingly more nuclear not just from a joint family context but with the decision of single child concept as well. Back then, when TVs were rare we used to accommodate our friends and even their families into our living rooms to watch Chitrahaar, Oliyum-oliyum and even Ramayan/Mahabaratha. Not to forget the cricket matches (Reliance World Cup - 1987)! We did not have remotes to fight for and when there was a conflict, it was resolved. Now, we have TVs in each room literally for the sake of conflict avoiding. How do we learn the art of conflict resolution?

I know I may sound a lot paranoid here by jumping on to various topics, but I feel my concerns are genuine. I hope that this generation picks up the instincts to know whom to trust and build trust with them. They learn how to build relationships and also know how to sustain them. They know how to build teams and live with them.

I know I have good people around me because of how I was brought up when I was a child; how well my family supported me; how well my friends responded, but most importantly, the initiative was from me. Everyone else supported.

I hope I support Nilaa in this aspect. I wish she has good people around her by virtue of her own choices and actions than our (Leelas's and mine) wishful thinking. 

Hope is the only cure to all problems. :)

- Raj

The Tree - Happy Independence Day!

On the Eve of our 66^th Independence day, I thought I’ll pen down my thoughts on what we can do to this wonderful country.

I know all of us are frustrated with the current state of affairs and we are in utter despair on how India would fare well!

I was thinking how we can become so hopeless when we have everything within ourselves to make an impact. The fact that I sit in an Air Conditioned office and type what I want to type means that we have a lot of freedom to do what we want to do and yet so we are expecting someone else to do it.

Yes! The challenge is that most of us do not take accountability or ownership for that! It is after all our country and we are responsible for what it is!

Let us not lose hope and let us ensure that we give our 100% commitment to turn things around!

Why are we expecting others to lead us when we ourselves can!

Why are we waiting for someone to initiate the change when we can be the change!

August 15^th, 1947 was not the fruit, but just a seed. For 65 years we have not nourished it well and tree looks a bit out of shape. Starting now, if we can water it properly, if we can give it proper fertilizers, things will be lot better every single year. It need not be a revolution by itself. It can be like what I said earlier. http://kuttiraj.blogspot.in/2009/11/do-we-need-revolution-in-india.html.

Education, Healthcare and Agriculture are the main areas where I would want to concentrate. Once these get the prominence, other things will fall in place! So let us concentrate on giving education to the eligible and the needy. Let's make healthcare affordable. Let us ensure that we help the agricultural sector in anyway that is possible.

For others it need not be the same two choices. You can pick two others areas. But show intent, and am sure things will fall in place.

The seed called Independence that was sown long back is now the tree that is growing. All we need is that as responsible citizens, we need to is feed the tree so the fruits of which are for our future Indians!

I was inspired by this small film. “The Tree”

It tells what we need to Do! As Simple as that :). 

Jai Hind! Let us keep the flame of freedom alive!

Regards,

Raj

CAP for Life.....

A lot of times, I've heard people talking about productivity, ability and capability and how to improve these.

To me, these are a bit abstract terms and are very dependent on a lot of other factors.

Rather than talking about people's views on these terms/factors, I would state what my understanding and belief are how to achieve these and what people should worry about or concentrate on to improve them. Here is what I call CAP of life.


C - I would work on the commitment of a person than his/her capability. I know that capability, while it can be improved, I feel that it depends on a person's COMMITMENT towards that. If we do not have a commitment towards a certain cause, I would say, no matter what capability we have within ourselves we would never be able to achieve that cause.

A - If I were to groom a person in my team, I would not worry about hi/hers ability much. I would rather look deep into his/her attitude on life! No matter what your ability is, if you do not have the right attitude, you are as good as nothing. Attitude can be changed and with that ones ability to perform to the expectations enhances! So let us concentrate on our ATTITUDE and ability will follow.

P - Productivity. This of course is probably dependent on Ability and Capability of an individual. So one has to have the attitude and commitment to improve him/herself. However, what's so more important is the PASSION he/she has towards the cause. Without PASSION, nothing goes on in life! I keep telling my team the below. 

Cleaning shit or having sex, do it with passion for it defines whether you are doing a shitty job or a sexy job.
With Passion - a sexy job in cleaning shit; Without passion - A shitty job in having sex!
(forgive my choice of words)


My thought - Without COMMITMENT, ATTITUDE and PASSION, nothing moves on in life!

- Raj

What is Growth?

In today's fast paced world, growth has become a mockery. I'm purely talking about one's growth in career.
People relate growth to money and power. They say I'm this much experienced and I deserve to grow!

Can growth be so easy that with years passing by and yet a person continues to do what he/she did three years back?
Can growth happen to a person within a company without contributing anything to it?
Can promotions happens because he has to be promoted rather than he deserved to be promoted?
Can a person by virtue of jumping companies be positioned for something substantially higher that what he can do?

What would happen in these circumstances? He/She is set for failure! And that means that everything around that person also fails. Be it team, be it business. All are set for failure.

To people who think money is measure of growth; you are wrong. Knowledge is!
To people who think power or authority or numbers (I lead so many people), is a measure of growth; you are wrong. Responsibilities are!

Money is not everything that can solve all the problems. Neither does power! Remember the end of the Hosini's and Saddam's.

When you have knowledge, you have more maturity.
When you have more maturity you are ready for more responsibilites!

Growth can neither be money nor authority.

It is the measure of your responsibilities!!
Seek to gain more knowledge and experience.
With both seek more responsibilities.

When you have them and the right attitude, the growth in terms of power and money follows!

- Raj

Charity at Work!

I know almost all of us do this one called Charity.
After all, what the parents gave us is in itself Charity. Almost all, does give a lot satisfaction; Be it on the road, be it a cheque to an organization, be it for your maids and so. Because all these will give a sense thankfulness back be it immediate or be it late. And we know that deep down in the heart.

But there is one charity that you know deep down in your heart that it is betrayal. That is actions and help that you do at your job which benefits others either by ourselves or by themselves like by grabbing attention, claiming that they did it, sidelining people, politics and so on. It happens day in and day out and mostly by people whom we know. I know it really takes a lot of character to remain afloat when these things happen continuously and when you lack the support from your management, but then, that is the key! That is your character! Do not change it! 

And deep down we know it is after all charity and charity is supposed to give us a good life! 
And deep down we know betrayals ruin life!

So all betrayals, take it as a charity from you! Do not change your character, most importantly do no move away from being charitable! Giving is really good thing! Only people who give know the satisfaction out. It doesn't matter if you were fooled or you did it on your own! You are giving! Keep doing it.

One day, life will show the fruits of it, it will be sweet for you and ripe for the ones who betrayed! And for the ones who received it sweet, we will always enjoy. And for the ones who had it ripe, they have no choice as it would be too late!

So do not lose passion and do not lose pride! These will ensure that you will sail through!
Cheers!


- Raj.

Past is Past?

Nothing personal against anyone. I was triggered when one fellow manager said this to me regarding his direct report. I felt it was not right.
- Raj.

I hate when someone says, past is past! And let us forget it! Particularly when in discussion with higher ups. If past becomes irrelevant, why should I do what I'm to do today as I know it becomes insignificant tomorrow? 

For Managers!
The achievements of individuals in the past portrays the strengths of them!
The under achievements or mistakes of them gives you an opportunity to know where not to fit them in and where to concentrate to mold them into a better individual! 
We cannot simply say I do not care what you did in the past and discard their achievements and mistakes!
- Raj

Optimism?

I felt I should pen this one as I believe this is what I'm.
Treat mistakes as lessons; When you do the right thing, you remain modest.
Treat challenges as opportunities; When you face adversity, you remain focused.
Treat failures as successes; When you think you have succeeded, you remain humble.


I never feared failure, in fact never thought I failed. I've always thought I've under achieved. Any achievement is a success. This I think keeps me optimistic about the future.

If we lose our optimism, there are no lessons, there are no opportunities and eventually no success. 

- Raj
I remain convinced that there is no generic scale to measure success, for it is very relative. 

Leadership by Ownership.

On the 13th Of March, 2012, I was returning from Singapore with Leela and Nilaa after the MVP function and trip to Malaysia. We were flying Jet Airways which was delayed by more than 7 hours. As always, the in flight services were not up to the mark and I don't know why Jet Airways has become so bad.


However, this is not about that and we as customers will always complain about the service. It is about an young flight attendant called Runal and how his attitude and passion inspired me.


The boarding was supposed to be 2:00 PM and we almost ran to the gate at Singapore after all the free lunch and duty paid purchases (you know what) and somehow reached on time to secure place for baggage. The flight was normal cramped one and the take was good. Then came the service, the food was not to our liking, but we were not complaining as we had a blast of a lunch within Changi Airport. And Wine was disappointing.


As always, I took the Aisle seat, Leela next and Nilaa on the window seat. There was a Gentleman called Srini (name changed) seated on the other side of the Aisle, who I believe was flying from the US and was on the phone until take off. Probably due to jet lag or tiredness because of the long wait at Changi, he dozed off and was not even taking food served. 


The flight was normal after an hour and Nilaa wanted to use the rest room. Just when I was taking here, Srini was walking ahead of us towards the rear side rest room. The path was blocked because the flight attendants were serving food still. Srini probably was feeling uncomfortable and was desperate to get to the rear. But the passage was blocked and seeing his desperation, people were trying to help him go past the food cart. Just when crossed, he just crashed and fainted on the floor. Quickly, people chipped in sprayed water, pulse was checked and he somehow regained consciousness but was too week. There were seats which were made free for him to lie down and he was given a juice and may be it was low sugar. However, he dozed of again. And it was this young man called Runal who was leading the taking care part of it with others as well. I also for my part informed them about his seat number and that it could be low sugar as he could not have had food in a long time and got back to my seat with Nilaa.


I had collected the passport, mobile phone and the boarding card of Srini and was waiting to hand it over to one of the flight attendants. Runal was back to collect the food tray and he was standing next to me in no time. I handed it over to him and was checking how Srini was doing and was suggesting that may be lot of fluids should help Srini. And for his part Runal was checking what exactly happened and I explained things as I saw it. He took note of all of it and out curiosity I was saying may be a doctor on board could help and that it was the first time I've experienced such a thing. 


He was looking at me calmly and said, "Don't worry sir. I'll never let anything happen grave on my flight." I was really inspired by his statement. Here was a flight attendant who was probably the lowest in the organizational chain of Jet Airways from Naresh Goyal's until him and yet was stating my flight! It might sound a bit arrogant, but to me it was assuring. He wanted to ensure that none on his flight should feel insecure and was exhibiting sheer passion which really inspired me.


This is what leaders do. They take ownership, inspire people and guide them to success. They run what ever they own as their company. Leadership is not complete without 100% ownership which I always understood, but Runal made me realize it one more time. Am sure Runal would really fare well in his life because he is a leader. All the best Runal.