As I was coming to work, I happened to listen to FM Radio and in that programme, they were discussing about belief in god and the rituals to be followed. Lot of Chennaites called the radio station and poured their feelings. Even I was thinking I should call and resisted my temptation, but thoughts were around that topic.
Belief in god is a highly debatable topic, so I would not want to get to that, but following rituals... Interestingly, most of the custom that are being followed by us today, have been started with a reason, but with questioning being a taboo in the Indian Society, we did not question the reason behind these customs. Also, the elders just asked us to do something, without actually making us understand the significance of the same. So, it has ended up like my father did this, I am doing and you also continue to do so. The younger generation without understanding the reason is losing interest in following the same or making a mockery out of those customs.
Let me quote an example, there is a tradition of putting an art in front of the house, early in the morning, we call this Kolam (கோலம்). This art is done with Rice Flour. The reason behind drawing this in the house is to feed ants to show one must take care of other forms of life. The entrance decoration is also a gesture of welcome. Now, I find a sticker pasted in front of all the houses, defeating the purpose of why we should do this.
Any such ritual that has been followed for ages has been practices with a purpose and it would be meaningful if we understand the reason behind the same and follow it. otherwise let us not do it.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Managing Multiple Bosses
Draupadi, the great heroine of the Mahabharat, never really chose her husband. Her father, king of Panchal, had organised an archery contest and she was the prize. She thought she was marrying a rishi with archery skills (the Pandavas were in disguise) and so it came as a pleasant surprise when the man who she married turned out to be a prince called Arjuna.
Just as Draupadi did not choose her husband, most of us do not choose our bosses. What is presented during the interview may not be what emerges post induction. Things may either be a pleasant surprise or a rude shock. Whatever be the case, one has to find a way to work with the boss. Failure to get along with bosses remains one of the main reasons for attrition. But while divorce is an option in the corporate world, it reeks of poor management skills, on the part of both, the ‘husband’ and the ‘wife’.We might resent the equation of boss with husband — it is sexist for it assumes a power play with the husband in a dominant position. But political correctness aside, ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ are functional role assignments that makes understanding easier. Besides it is better to assume that the world is patriarchal and feudal, and navigate successfully through it, rather than wish the world was otherwise, and end up sinking in frustration.
In deference to his mother’s wishes, Arjuna agreed to share his wife with his four brothers. And so, Draupadi became the wife of the five Pandavas. The excuse given for this is that Arjuna obeyed his mother who, thinking her son had brought home a ‘fruit’, asked him to share ‘it’ with the brothers. But an implied reason for this is that the mother did not want a beautiful woman like Draupadi to spawn jealousy and rupture the bond between her five sons. A talented individual in the corporate world, whether he likes it or not, does become a shared resource between many teams and many departments and it bodes him well to recognise he is a Draupadi with many ‘husbands’ – there is the reporting boss, then there is the super-boss, the dottedline boss, the de jour boss and the de facto boss. He has to manage all the ‘husbands’ as Draupadi managed her five.
In the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata, Satyabhama, wife of Krishna, asks Draupadi, “Most women can barely manage to get control of one husband; you have managed to secure the affections of all five. What is your secret? Is it magic? Is it a spell?” Draupadi replied, “It is not magic. It is not a spell. It is hard work. I wake up before them and sleep after them, and spend every waking hour taking care of them, serving them, solving their problems, meeting all their needs, making sure they want for nothing. It is I who manage their affairs. It is I who manage their cows, their servants, their fields, their forests, their treasury and their wealth. It is I who take care of their mother, their guests, their friends and their sons. I do everything they ask me to do. I do things for them even before they ask for it. With me around, they need worry about nothing. I never nag or complain. That is how I have managed to earn their devotion and their affection.”
Draupadi made her husbands dependent on her. She was the reliable one, consistently trustworthy. With her around, they had to worry about nothing. With her by their side, the Pandavas gathered the courage to ask the Kauravas for their half of the family property. In exchange Draupadi got what she wanted: absolute control over the Pandava household; no other woman (each Pandava had many wives) was allowed to live in their palace or enter her kitchen. A successful subordinate is like a Draupadi, who ensures that the boss does exactly as he wishes — all the while making the boss feel it is his decision.
Each of Draupadi’s husbands had a different personality: Yudhishtira was self-righteous, Bhima was volatile, Arjuna was insecure, Nakula was narcissistic and Sahadeva, intellectual. That each one was devoted to her indicates she was successful in being what each one of them wanted her to be. She could not have done this if she behaved the same way with each one. She clearly flexed her style repeatedly, behaving in five different ways for the five very different brothers. But how she did what she did is never revealed, for Draupadi never let anyone, not even the storyteller, into her bedchambers when she was with one husband. What transpired between her and each of her husbands was not meant for public consumption. Secrecy in a boss-subordinate relationship is critical; no one else, least of all other bosses, must know how the others are being managed. One can only assume that Draupadi adored her husbands for what they were, as a good subordinate is supposed to adore even the most insufferable of his bosses.
The Virata Parva is the chapter describing the final year of the forest exile, when the Pandavas and their common wife had to live disguised as servants in the palace of king Virata. In it, one discovers how Draupadi used the different personalities of her husbands to her advantage. Virata’s lout of a brother-in-law, Kichaka, publicly abused Draupadi but Yudhishtira, witness to his wife’s humiliation, refused to help. “Be prudent,” he said, “We cannot risk discovery till the year is over.” Draupadi was not angry with her first husband; he had behaved predictably. She went to another husband who would avenge her humiliation. Not her favourite, Arjuna, who would never disobey the elder brother, but the powerful Bhima. Bhima would, when goaded enough, do whatever Draupadi asked him to do, even kill Kichaka, or drink the blood of the Kauravas, paying little heed to Yudhishtira, or rules of social propriety.
Is Draupadi the ideal subordinate? Every boss will say, “No”, for who would want an intelligent, manipulative and powerful subordinate? People always prefer a subordinate like Sita – the faithful and submissive wife of Ramayan’s Ram, who endures all silently and never speaks against her husband, a contrast from Draupadi who screams when abused, who demands vengeance, who publicly humiliates her husbands when they do not come to her aid and who does not shy away from telling her five husbands they have failed to satisfy her, individually or collectively. So if you feel, at the end of this article, you want to manage your boss or your bosses, as Draupadi managed her husbands, there is one golden rule you must keep in mind – be like Draupadi, but always behave like Sita.
Courtesy : The Economic Times
Just as Draupadi did not choose her husband, most of us do not choose our bosses. What is presented during the interview may not be what emerges post induction. Things may either be a pleasant surprise or a rude shock. Whatever be the case, one has to find a way to work with the boss. Failure to get along with bosses remains one of the main reasons for attrition. But while divorce is an option in the corporate world, it reeks of poor management skills, on the part of both, the ‘husband’ and the ‘wife’.We might resent the equation of boss with husband — it is sexist for it assumes a power play with the husband in a dominant position. But political correctness aside, ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ are functional role assignments that makes understanding easier. Besides it is better to assume that the world is patriarchal and feudal, and navigate successfully through it, rather than wish the world was otherwise, and end up sinking in frustration.
In deference to his mother’s wishes, Arjuna agreed to share his wife with his four brothers. And so, Draupadi became the wife of the five Pandavas. The excuse given for this is that Arjuna obeyed his mother who, thinking her son had brought home a ‘fruit’, asked him to share ‘it’ with the brothers. But an implied reason for this is that the mother did not want a beautiful woman like Draupadi to spawn jealousy and rupture the bond between her five sons. A talented individual in the corporate world, whether he likes it or not, does become a shared resource between many teams and many departments and it bodes him well to recognise he is a Draupadi with many ‘husbands’ – there is the reporting boss, then there is the super-boss, the dottedline boss, the de jour boss and the de facto boss. He has to manage all the ‘husbands’ as Draupadi managed her five.
In the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata, Satyabhama, wife of Krishna, asks Draupadi, “Most women can barely manage to get control of one husband; you have managed to secure the affections of all five. What is your secret? Is it magic? Is it a spell?” Draupadi replied, “It is not magic. It is not a spell. It is hard work. I wake up before them and sleep after them, and spend every waking hour taking care of them, serving them, solving their problems, meeting all their needs, making sure they want for nothing. It is I who manage their affairs. It is I who manage their cows, their servants, their fields, their forests, their treasury and their wealth. It is I who take care of their mother, their guests, their friends and their sons. I do everything they ask me to do. I do things for them even before they ask for it. With me around, they need worry about nothing. I never nag or complain. That is how I have managed to earn their devotion and their affection.”
Draupadi made her husbands dependent on her. She was the reliable one, consistently trustworthy. With her around, they had to worry about nothing. With her by their side, the Pandavas gathered the courage to ask the Kauravas for their half of the family property. In exchange Draupadi got what she wanted: absolute control over the Pandava household; no other woman (each Pandava had many wives) was allowed to live in their palace or enter her kitchen. A successful subordinate is like a Draupadi, who ensures that the boss does exactly as he wishes — all the while making the boss feel it is his decision.
Each of Draupadi’s husbands had a different personality: Yudhishtira was self-righteous, Bhima was volatile, Arjuna was insecure, Nakula was narcissistic and Sahadeva, intellectual. That each one was devoted to her indicates she was successful in being what each one of them wanted her to be. She could not have done this if she behaved the same way with each one. She clearly flexed her style repeatedly, behaving in five different ways for the five very different brothers. But how she did what she did is never revealed, for Draupadi never let anyone, not even the storyteller, into her bedchambers when she was with one husband. What transpired between her and each of her husbands was not meant for public consumption. Secrecy in a boss-subordinate relationship is critical; no one else, least of all other bosses, must know how the others are being managed. One can only assume that Draupadi adored her husbands for what they were, as a good subordinate is supposed to adore even the most insufferable of his bosses.
The Virata Parva is the chapter describing the final year of the forest exile, when the Pandavas and their common wife had to live disguised as servants in the palace of king Virata. In it, one discovers how Draupadi used the different personalities of her husbands to her advantage. Virata’s lout of a brother-in-law, Kichaka, publicly abused Draupadi but Yudhishtira, witness to his wife’s humiliation, refused to help. “Be prudent,” he said, “We cannot risk discovery till the year is over.” Draupadi was not angry with her first husband; he had behaved predictably. She went to another husband who would avenge her humiliation. Not her favourite, Arjuna, who would never disobey the elder brother, but the powerful Bhima. Bhima would, when goaded enough, do whatever Draupadi asked him to do, even kill Kichaka, or drink the blood of the Kauravas, paying little heed to Yudhishtira, or rules of social propriety.
Is Draupadi the ideal subordinate? Every boss will say, “No”, for who would want an intelligent, manipulative and powerful subordinate? People always prefer a subordinate like Sita – the faithful and submissive wife of Ramayan’s Ram, who endures all silently and never speaks against her husband, a contrast from Draupadi who screams when abused, who demands vengeance, who publicly humiliates her husbands when they do not come to her aid and who does not shy away from telling her five husbands they have failed to satisfy her, individually or collectively. So if you feel, at the end of this article, you want to manage your boss or your bosses, as Draupadi managed her husbands, there is one golden rule you must keep in mind – be like Draupadi, but always behave like Sita.
Courtesy : The Economic Times
Monday, September 8, 2008
Survival of the fittest....... We survived to be created .....
Whenever you feel low or depressed, remember you are the same SPERM who won the battle against a million others.
25 Qualities you need to get promoted....
As the Promotion cycle is approaching, we just had a session on perception handling and was in search of reading for additional steroids to get promotions and how we can fulfill the supervisors expectation, just came across this wonderful piece of information which is rightly named as ‘25 Qualities to get you promoted’, found it interesting and presenting to you as read in Tech Manager’s Blog.
1. Master Written Communication
If you want to move up in any organization, you must be able to construct a well thought out, grammatically correct, spell-checked (yes, I feel I have to say this) memorandum, e-mail, report, bid response, project plan, etc. This can be a weakness for many in IT, and it is something that has to be worked on if it does not come naturally to you. At least start paying attention to the grammar help that Microsoft Word offers.
2. Master Verbal Communication
As important as it is to write clearly and concisely, you also have to be able to speak clearly. It does not matter if your audience is one person or a hundred. No stuttering, no ums, ahs, or jargon. No mumbling, staring at the floor, or hiding behind a document. You need to be able to convey that you know what you are talking about and that you have confidence in yourself. This takes practice (literally, go stand in front of a mirror and speak) or join Toastmasters or take a speech class at night. Hone this skill!
3. Be a self starter
Go to your supervisor and find work. If you are assigned work, start early and finish early. If you know what needs to be done, do it if your work environment allows it. Ask permission if you need to—but get it done. Supervisors and management LOVE self starters.
4. Perform quality work
This goes hand in hand with the quality above. Develop a reputation for getting things done right—the first time. If you can become one of those people who can be counted on not only to get it right, but to deliver an excellent product, you will be successful.
5. Develop good listening skills
Engage your mouth when necessary, but keep your ears open at all times. Learn to be a good and thoughtful listener. It will aid you in your work, you will develop a reputation as being easy to talk to, and most important, you will learn what is going on around you.
6. Don’t be a gossip
Develop a reputation for being a confidant. By all means LISTEN to what is going on (I call it intelligence gathering), but don’t be a grouser.
7. Know how to behave
Actions and behaviors that are appropriate in small team meetings among your co-workers are not necessarily appropriate when addressing a team of vice presidents. Know the difference and act appropriately.
8. Deliver on your promises
Become known for keeping your word and delivering on your promises—and if you can’t, let people know why.
9. Be honest in your dealings
If people “can’t trust you as far as they can throw you” or think you always have a hidden agenda, you will go nowhere fast. Conversely, being known as an honest broker and a truth teller will gain you much credibility when working with others.
10. Be a willing collaborator
You don't have to give in on everything, but be willing to be a partner on efforts led by others. If people find you easy to work with, you are more likely to have more opportunities presented to you.
11. Be knowledgeable
Don't talk about things you don't know about. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know but I will get back to you.” Also, stay well read and—while you might not be an expert on every topic—make sure you can talk intelligently about most topics in your area.
12. Be a quick study
One of the hallmarks of good leaders is the ability to quickly gather information, interpret it, and use it in decision making.
13. Be prompt
Lateness is interpreted as slothfulness or the inability to manage your time properly. If at all possible, be early! Just-in time-is good for inventory management, not your time management.
14. Don't disregard your image
First impressions are hard to overcome and people do judge you on your appearance. While you don’t have to dress like you are straight out of a fashion magazine, your attire speaks for you, whether you like it or not.
15. Get out of your cube
Meet people within your department and outside it. You have to gain exposure and also make yourself comfortable mingling with people outside your area.
16. Learn the business
Whatever the core business is for your organization, learn it. Also learn what it takes to support that core business. It never hurts to know statistics and facts about your organization. This will help you empathize with your clients.
17. Be empathetic
Being able to see things from another person’s perspective, regardless of whether you agree or disagree, will help you immensely no matter what you are doing.
18. Don't be a drama queen
Learn to quickly determine, what's a genuine crisis and what isn't and act like you have things under control. You can scream, cry, pout, or whatever later in private. Emotional outbursts are not welcome in the workplace.
19. Be a critical thinker
You have to be able to see the forest AND the trees. Learn to look at all the information and perform a quick analysis to determine what causes are, what effects are, and what variables come into play regarding any problem.
20. Be yourself
People can sense someone who is not genuine. Keep in mind that humbleness is a good quality, as no one likes a pompous person, but don’t be afraid to toot your own horn occasionally when you deserve it.
21. Take the next step
When it is obvious what the next step might be in a project or product, take it! Unless you are being micromanaged, don’t wait to be told to do the next logical step in something if it is within your purview to do so. This can get you in trouble if you have really heavy-handed management, but in most cases, people will be glad you did.
22. Treat people kindly
Treat people at all levels of the organization with courtesy and respect. You never know when and where you will encounter them again. Abide by the golden rule. Treat people the way you wish to be treated.
23. Remember that it’s a small world
Word travels quickly, people have long memories, good deeds will be rewarded, and slights are never forgotten. So do not burn any bridges and do not try to make any enemies—you never know where people will show up again in your life.
24. Be sincere
Linus knew something special when he was sitting in that pumpkin patch. While there is no Great Pumpkin (Sorry, Linus), people do appreciate sincerity. If you make a sincere effort to accomplish something, it will be noted.
25. Don’t be afraid to ask why
Don't ask for explanations in a whiny way, but in the form of, “I’m trying to better understand X; can you help me gain a better understanding by explaining why we do X?” You would be surprised how much you can learn with
Well, there you have them, the 25 rules for excelling in what you do and getting promoted. If you can master these, you will be well on your way to wherever you want to go, whether it is moving into the corner office, being the star consultant, running a data center, or running your own business. These rules have worked for people, and they are pretty much how we should approach life in general. At a minimum, you will finish each day with the knowledge that you have done the best you can. These are the kinds of qualities we look for in employees, and I'd bet that most employers would promote someone who had them. All the Best !!!
1. Master Written Communication
If you want to move up in any organization, you must be able to construct a well thought out, grammatically correct, spell-checked (yes, I feel I have to say this) memorandum, e-mail, report, bid response, project plan, etc. This can be a weakness for many in IT, and it is something that has to be worked on if it does not come naturally to you. At least start paying attention to the grammar help that Microsoft Word offers.
2. Master Verbal Communication
As important as it is to write clearly and concisely, you also have to be able to speak clearly. It does not matter if your audience is one person or a hundred. No stuttering, no ums, ahs, or jargon. No mumbling, staring at the floor, or hiding behind a document. You need to be able to convey that you know what you are talking about and that you have confidence in yourself. This takes practice (literally, go stand in front of a mirror and speak) or join Toastmasters or take a speech class at night. Hone this skill!
3. Be a self starter
Go to your supervisor and find work. If you are assigned work, start early and finish early. If you know what needs to be done, do it if your work environment allows it. Ask permission if you need to—but get it done. Supervisors and management LOVE self starters.
4. Perform quality work
This goes hand in hand with the quality above. Develop a reputation for getting things done right—the first time. If you can become one of those people who can be counted on not only to get it right, but to deliver an excellent product, you will be successful.
5. Develop good listening skills
Engage your mouth when necessary, but keep your ears open at all times. Learn to be a good and thoughtful listener. It will aid you in your work, you will develop a reputation as being easy to talk to, and most important, you will learn what is going on around you.
6. Don’t be a gossip
Develop a reputation for being a confidant. By all means LISTEN to what is going on (I call it intelligence gathering), but don’t be a grouser.
7. Know how to behave
Actions and behaviors that are appropriate in small team meetings among your co-workers are not necessarily appropriate when addressing a team of vice presidents. Know the difference and act appropriately.
8. Deliver on your promises
Become known for keeping your word and delivering on your promises—and if you can’t, let people know why.
9. Be honest in your dealings
If people “can’t trust you as far as they can throw you” or think you always have a hidden agenda, you will go nowhere fast. Conversely, being known as an honest broker and a truth teller will gain you much credibility when working with others.
10. Be a willing collaborator
You don't have to give in on everything, but be willing to be a partner on efforts led by others. If people find you easy to work with, you are more likely to have more opportunities presented to you.
11. Be knowledgeable
Don't talk about things you don't know about. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know but I will get back to you.” Also, stay well read and—while you might not be an expert on every topic—make sure you can talk intelligently about most topics in your area.
12. Be a quick study
One of the hallmarks of good leaders is the ability to quickly gather information, interpret it, and use it in decision making.
13. Be prompt
Lateness is interpreted as slothfulness or the inability to manage your time properly. If at all possible, be early! Just-in time-is good for inventory management, not your time management.
14. Don't disregard your image
First impressions are hard to overcome and people do judge you on your appearance. While you don’t have to dress like you are straight out of a fashion magazine, your attire speaks for you, whether you like it or not.
15. Get out of your cube
Meet people within your department and outside it. You have to gain exposure and also make yourself comfortable mingling with people outside your area.
16. Learn the business
Whatever the core business is for your organization, learn it. Also learn what it takes to support that core business. It never hurts to know statistics and facts about your organization. This will help you empathize with your clients.
17. Be empathetic
Being able to see things from another person’s perspective, regardless of whether you agree or disagree, will help you immensely no matter what you are doing.
18. Don't be a drama queen
Learn to quickly determine, what's a genuine crisis and what isn't and act like you have things under control. You can scream, cry, pout, or whatever later in private. Emotional outbursts are not welcome in the workplace.
19. Be a critical thinker
You have to be able to see the forest AND the trees. Learn to look at all the information and perform a quick analysis to determine what causes are, what effects are, and what variables come into play regarding any problem.
20. Be yourself
People can sense someone who is not genuine. Keep in mind that humbleness is a good quality, as no one likes a pompous person, but don’t be afraid to toot your own horn occasionally when you deserve it.
21. Take the next step
When it is obvious what the next step might be in a project or product, take it! Unless you are being micromanaged, don’t wait to be told to do the next logical step in something if it is within your purview to do so. This can get you in trouble if you have really heavy-handed management, but in most cases, people will be glad you did.
22. Treat people kindly
Treat people at all levels of the organization with courtesy and respect. You never know when and where you will encounter them again. Abide by the golden rule. Treat people the way you wish to be treated.
23. Remember that it’s a small world
Word travels quickly, people have long memories, good deeds will be rewarded, and slights are never forgotten. So do not burn any bridges and do not try to make any enemies—you never know where people will show up again in your life.
24. Be sincere
Linus knew something special when he was sitting in that pumpkin patch. While there is no Great Pumpkin (Sorry, Linus), people do appreciate sincerity. If you make a sincere effort to accomplish something, it will be noted.
25. Don’t be afraid to ask why
Don't ask for explanations in a whiny way, but in the form of, “I’m trying to better understand X; can you help me gain a better understanding by explaining why we do X?” You would be surprised how much you can learn with
Well, there you have them, the 25 rules for excelling in what you do and getting promoted. If you can master these, you will be well on your way to wherever you want to go, whether it is moving into the corner office, being the star consultant, running a data center, or running your own business. These rules have worked for people, and they are pretty much how we should approach life in general. At a minimum, you will finish each day with the knowledge that you have done the best you can. These are the kinds of qualities we look for in employees, and I'd bet that most employers would promote someone who had them. All the Best !!!
Is Quality Negotiable ??????
There was a lot of discussion that happened about the Quality of our deliverables in the recently concluded Steering Committee Meeting and I was travelling back to Chennai from Bangalore, with thoughts filled with the same.
I was travelling by Shatabdi Express and when the train crossed Katpadi, I just went outside the A/c Cabin to the place near the Toilets, just to stretch my leg and to get some fresh air. As I was standing there, I noticed the Train Attendant sitting their on a carton box and counting the number of cups. I realised that he must be getting ready for his return journey or probably the next journey.
As I was noticing him, thoughts just ran to the lifestyle that he would be having and also his work environment, work etc. I had opened the door of the train and just then another train attendant came and asked me if I am done with what I am doing. When I asked him as to why he is enquiring, he told me that he has to check some cables behind the door and he feels that one of the cable has burnt. I asked him to go ahead and do his work and he checked some wires and then smiled at me and said that one of the wires have got burnt and the same has to replaced in Chennai. Then I saw him filling some logs and also brought his Supervisor and explained the problem to him and he then signed in those logs.I was a silent spectator to all these and still the Catering attendant was continuing his counting without getting affected by what is happening around him.
Immediately I started comparing this to the work that we do back in office. The lifestyle that I have is multiple times better than what is available to the two characters that I spoke about. The monetary compensation that I get is again multiple times that of what they get. And lot more, the work environment, work life balance, etc, everything seems to be lot better for us. But still the amount of cribbing that we do is lot more than what these people would have done.
Again, as a traveller, will I be happy if the attendant makes mistake while serving the food, instead of Vegetarian food, what if her serves non vegetarian food? Incase I ask for water and what if he delays the same by 15 minutes? While serving food, if he spills food on us, how would we feel? I can keep going on... Even for him Customer Service is primary and he cannot afford to make mistakes. It is not Ok if there is a failure and he may not get the second chance to correct the same. Lets take the case of the Electrician, when he asked me if I am done with my work, I again saw customer service, he was bothered that my journey is comfortable. Again, if you typically look at that problem he handled and the logs he filled, I dont think he complains and I am sure that he will have it fixed in Chennai, he will certainly not be ok to travel back to Bangalore with the wire not fixed. And imagine he has to meticulously do all this for every compartment in the train, I also witnessed the difficulty he had in filling those logs in the moving train, still he did not complain. He went about doing the work meticulously.
Comparing the same with the facilities that we have, why are we cribbing a lot to do reviews, documentations, version controls etc. Why are we taking bugs very easily? Why do feel okay if there are bugs in our code and if our code is not tuned for the best performance? Dont you think that we should provide the best quality for our customer? Is it not necessary to take care of our customer?
Quality is non negotiable and just because you dont see tangible problems, does not mean that mediocrity in the deliverables are accepted. What is applicable to the Catering Attendant and the Electrician when you are the customer is as well applicable to us when we are delivering services to our customers. Just imagine if that electrician ignores and waits for the customer to complain that it is not working well, if it had resulted in a fire accident in the compartment, is what he does is ok? Same way lets put us also in the line of fire and ensure that we are giving the best quality and also lets feel that if there are bugs in the code that you develop, it is a disgrace to you. Lets remember and empathise our customers situation by thinking about ourselves as a customer.
I was travelling by Shatabdi Express and when the train crossed Katpadi, I just went outside the A/c Cabin to the place near the Toilets, just to stretch my leg and to get some fresh air. As I was standing there, I noticed the Train Attendant sitting their on a carton box and counting the number of cups. I realised that he must be getting ready for his return journey or probably the next journey.
As I was noticing him, thoughts just ran to the lifestyle that he would be having and also his work environment, work etc. I had opened the door of the train and just then another train attendant came and asked me if I am done with what I am doing. When I asked him as to why he is enquiring, he told me that he has to check some cables behind the door and he feels that one of the cable has burnt. I asked him to go ahead and do his work and he checked some wires and then smiled at me and said that one of the wires have got burnt and the same has to replaced in Chennai. Then I saw him filling some logs and also brought his Supervisor and explained the problem to him and he then signed in those logs.I was a silent spectator to all these and still the Catering attendant was continuing his counting without getting affected by what is happening around him.
Immediately I started comparing this to the work that we do back in office. The lifestyle that I have is multiple times better than what is available to the two characters that I spoke about. The monetary compensation that I get is again multiple times that of what they get. And lot more, the work environment, work life balance, etc, everything seems to be lot better for us. But still the amount of cribbing that we do is lot more than what these people would have done.
Again, as a traveller, will I be happy if the attendant makes mistake while serving the food, instead of Vegetarian food, what if her serves non vegetarian food? Incase I ask for water and what if he delays the same by 15 minutes? While serving food, if he spills food on us, how would we feel? I can keep going on... Even for him Customer Service is primary and he cannot afford to make mistakes. It is not Ok if there is a failure and he may not get the second chance to correct the same. Lets take the case of the Electrician, when he asked me if I am done with my work, I again saw customer service, he was bothered that my journey is comfortable. Again, if you typically look at that problem he handled and the logs he filled, I dont think he complains and I am sure that he will have it fixed in Chennai, he will certainly not be ok to travel back to Bangalore with the wire not fixed. And imagine he has to meticulously do all this for every compartment in the train, I also witnessed the difficulty he had in filling those logs in the moving train, still he did not complain. He went about doing the work meticulously.
Comparing the same with the facilities that we have, why are we cribbing a lot to do reviews, documentations, version controls etc. Why are we taking bugs very easily? Why do feel okay if there are bugs in our code and if our code is not tuned for the best performance? Dont you think that we should provide the best quality for our customer? Is it not necessary to take care of our customer?
Quality is non negotiable and just because you dont see tangible problems, does not mean that mediocrity in the deliverables are accepted. What is applicable to the Catering Attendant and the Electrician when you are the customer is as well applicable to us when we are delivering services to our customers. Just imagine if that electrician ignores and waits for the customer to complain that it is not working well, if it had resulted in a fire accident in the compartment, is what he does is ok? Same way lets put us also in the line of fire and ensure that we are giving the best quality and also lets feel that if there are bugs in the code that you develop, it is a disgrace to you. Lets remember and empathise our customers situation by thinking about ourselves as a customer.
Best at the Worst Times....
I would tell all my friends "I will always be there for you. I am just a phone call away if you need anything. My support for you is unconditional". Indeed my friends mean a lot to me and when i love, i love completely. In fact, i say these sentences to only few people, but to whomever i say it, i mean it.
It was one of those weeks when i was having a hectic and not-so-great week. I was facing challenges at work and was not very receptive to anybody at home or to my friends. I was totally focused on things at work which required the best out of me. i was not much inclined to having conversation with my near and dear ones. Quite often my phone was left unattended. At the end of this one week, when issues were resolved, challenges were overcome and things were more organised, i decided i would get in touch with a few friends and that's when i realised, i had missed a lot of calls from them. i was unavailable to the same people to whom i had promised unconditional time and support. Family, that means a lot to me, too had suffered due to my bad moods. Several people had been ignored and a few were hurt just because i was having a tough week. Surely, this is not called being unconditional. That's when I understood that when I tell an individual I will always be there for you, I create hope in the individual. I cause the expectation. I give a silent promise that no matter what's happening in my life, if you need me, I am going to be there.
And when I fail, I shatter the trust that one has built on me. I don't deny that there are times when I need my space, my personal time to just think, clear my head, meditate upon the question marks in my life; but i also recognise that i can keep aside an hour for this and reach out at other times.
The reason i hadn't got in touch with people was not because i was using my time constructively or finding solutions, it was simply because i was irritated, in a bad mood, and had no desire to 'give' or 'be there'.
I can be my best when i am happy and when all is going right in my life, but is it not my responsibility to be my best at the worst of times? Is that not growth ? Is that not what will set me apart? When i am the creator of my own feelings, is it not my responsibility to create happy feelings and leave the stressed ones as soon as i leave my workplace?
Even in the worst of my moods I smile at my customers, I laugh with my boss and I am pleasant to every stranger who comes to my workplace. Then why is it that when i am in bad mood, my near and dear ones should experience the worst of me ? Don't they deserve to get the best of me when they are such an essential part of my life, when my joys and sorrows are always felt by them and never by strangers?
Can i take this small challenge with myself and be my best at all the worst of times with my loved ones and live up to my promise. Winning this small challenge will create magic in all my relationships and in my life. I will be the master of my emotions, and wow, what freedom that will be !!!
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