Sunday, August 21, 2016

What do we here?



It all started as a routine meeting of all faculty. The second fortnight of March it was.

Yes. You guessed it right. Whenever we had no other work, 
we were called to attention. 

we meet and discuss.

On that day as we , i mean, all faculty, met at the spacious hall of our Principal ,  the meeting wore an air of expectation.

Yes. A dignitary from CO was visiting our centre to interact with all faculty.  The boss said he expected the dignitary to have a didactic  discussion with every faculty too.
.
Why should it be like that ? asked an ever inquisitive friend..
"I wish you better put this the question straight to him." said our boss.

The meeting was to take place at 2.30 p.m.  It is was already 3.00 p.m. but yet the visiting dignitary was not in sight.  Nor was there was any message from him.

A couple of our friends (faculty) appeared tense.  To them this meeting appeared to be more than a routine. They were, as we knew, in the reckoning for promotion to a higher cadre.  A third one was also similarly placed but never revealed so much interest in the matter of promotions. To him life at the centre was a comfort zone and possibly he was enjoying it.  A promotion may entail in a shift which disturbance he could hardly afford to face at this age.

In any case, everyone knew that basis of promotion to a higher cadre at least DMs and above were based mostly on perceptions rather than the usually talked about CRs.

I knew the dignitary even before. He was a highly placed marketing man during his tenure here at chennai.

Much as I would convince my colleagues to treat this meet as another one, the tense face my colleagues sported could hardly be camouflaged.

At last the dignitary came, and the meeting started.

With a brief self introduction  by each faculty (was it seven or eight ?) being over, the dignitary started addressing us.

A few minutes passed.  A few faculty listened with rapt attention, with their eyes half closed. Dreaming or dozing I did not verify.  A couple of others possibly thought that he was not telling anything which we were not ourselves conveying in our class rooms. 

Then suddenly there was a pause.

His  silence made us wake up.  In measured tone 
he aired a question.

 "how do faculty  feel being in a training environment, after having been in the marketing area ? "

In 80s and 90s, officers from the side of sales were prone to feel embarrassed on a posting to Training Centres. Is that feeling of being ambushed still lurks nowadays   among sales-side officers ? I do not know.  For them  a posting as a faculty in the Training Centres was perceived as a punishment !! 

I do remember during the days of my induction training , a co-participant at MDC, who had served as  Senior DM in charge of some Division in Gujarat, could not swallow the posting which he said shocked him especially after a brilliant performance. I remember he even  dared to air his protest at the inaugural day in front of MD.

Back to the story.

Responses to the query were on expected lines.   

"Quarantine leave" one said. 

Another said that he enjoyed as he could relate himself with sales force from a different linguistic area.  He learnt to enjoy chakka pradhaman, and learnt Malayalam. Said, " It would help me if I were to get posted  as SDM at Trivandrum, you know. "

A third one philosophically suggested that "ups and downs always happens in life - you know".

The dignitary turned his eye on faculty who belonged to other shades,their  backgrounds assorted . Fellows of Insurance Studies, a half (not half-baked) Actuary, a CA, a legal man , and a couple who rose from ranks. not DROs.

"What do we do here ?"  He put it straight.

There was a dry laughter amidst all.

Several replies must have come to their minds they carefully chose not to convert as words such as:

"chatting", "lecturing" "group dining"  "shepherding trainees"

One faculty came forward to define his role. Possibly remembered the sentence he read at MDC. 

 "The trainer's job at the Training Centre is to enhance and elevate the levels of skill and knowledge,  shape , mould and motivate the trainee officers to develop the right type of attitude based on their own aptitude. In short, it is to inform , perform and reform."

" He is in full form."A neighbour of mine hissed in my ears: 

"you are too technical. Make it straight. More simple ?" the dignitary suggested. 

"Sir ! We impart training on rules and regulations, in fact we explain the basis of several CO circulars . You know - 'to read and understand these manuals our executives  do not have enough time in their working environment.'  So we teach. "

"You are beating about the bush. " laughed the dignitary. 


Putting Emphasis on the word, 'teach' 
he asked: 

"Do we really teach here ?" 

So teasing , short of annoying, was his question, that faculty possibly had no answer.

A friend of mine about to retire hissed:  "We preach also."

He turned at me.

I said : " I learn "

"what ? you mean  the ALITER CONCEPT  ! "   
\
After a pause, I replied, "Yes Sir. I learn here to unlearn."

Another "What " from the CO man.



"In fact, I see this as an opportunity to unlearn everything I have learnt in the last thirty three years or so. When I interact with men and women who assemble here, I feel I have more things to learn from them than I have to give them."

My colleagues looked at me. Our own boss appeared visibly perplexed. He was possibly wondering whether  any chance of being promoted at all in the rest of my career,I had already lost.   In any case,little it mattered to him as  he always knew me as one incorrigible.

"So you say you have begun shaping yourself !" 

"In a way. yes. the period one spends here should enable one to develop a vision not only for oneself but for the organisation too.  "

"Will u develop that idea ?"

"The trainees who come here do exhibit a lot of ideas creative. By interacting and working with them, though for a limited period, it is possible to distance ourselves from our past ways of doing  jobs and find new routes for higher performances."

"You say then you are not teaching here."

"Possibly yes,if you assign a conventional meaning with the word. In fact,   I relate with those who come, pose before them a few situations and just observe. Our job, as i feel, is to create an environment where they could visualise and  set new goals for themselves  in the organisation."

you feel it is worth ! you feel it is necessary?"

 Sir ! I have always a conviction, that if men are enabled to design their jobs, they exert and excel. Their contribution to  the organisation also reaches higher levels.  "

"Where are you then......? "

"you may call us a catalyst in the  process . And in the process,  I see I also grow.  I believe when I go from here, I shall be a transformed person."

The CO dignitary looked at my boss. Said, "it depends ."

"Why not we have a tea-break ! " he suggested.

The snacks had come by that time. Biscuits, fried  cashew nuts,, somosa and tea.





What ! Is there an alarm bell ringing?

  I wake up.

Getting composed.

At this old age, i am already 74 +, events of past do come as dreams

But how come !  All the faces of my close dear friends and equally their voices !!

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Not a Story

The Conference had just commenced.

The hall was brimming with smiling faces of heads of Branches, a good many waiting to be patted on the back by the highest dignitary.  The Office as a whole has done indeed well in reaching the targets set by the highest office.

Sitting in the dais was the visiting dignitary from the highest office of the land. On both sides flanking were the in charge of Local Divisional office and  the marketing man in charge of selling and servicing of products .

A ritual welcome was followed by a shower of garlands and shawls for the dignitary.

The compere announced as the next item in the agenda "Report by Manager Marketing ."

For the next fifteen minutes, the hall heard beams of figures and plethora of statistics that poured all sweet honey into the ears of all participants.

Hardly the report was finished, thunderous applause followed.

The visiting dignitary asked for the mike.

"A very Good Morning to everyone of you." 

An applause followed.

"I am indeed pleased what your Team has done in the last half year . I am proud of you"

Again another applause.

"Let me congratulate all of you. But, at  the same time, I have a question in my mind."
I would better ask it straight to my friend who presented the report.
I am sure he would answer my query in all earnestness.

Yes. Sir, said the Officer who presented the report, with an air of expectation.

I have a feeling that the report speaks about  what others did.
What did you do ?

The straight question from the visiting dignitary put that Officer - second-in-command - who had just finished reading his report , in a fix. Frankly it appeared he did not quite understand what the dignitary meant.

It looked and sounded too as a  direct punch from the opponent in a Boxing Match..

Heads of Branches looked bewildered.  For years this was the practice.  Business performance statistics of the current half year used to be collated,  matched with the annual target, compared with corresponding previous  year's  figures, policy wise, sum assured wise, branch wise, dev.officers wise, agents wise, absolute number wise, percentage-wise.

The visiting dignitary however appeared to think otherwise.

"It is all Ok. All your  statistics Ok. You all deserve highest praise. No doubt about it.  But they tell me nothing about your interactions with the field force, their strengths, their weaknesses, their areas of concern, their opportunities.particularly when competitors have entered into their market."

"Sir, it is our usual practice only to supply our figures.which reveal our performance........"

"Collecting and analysing figures is fine. But is it not  the job of a statistician.  ?"

"Yes Sir."

"My good friend ! In the wake of competition, should we not be listening to our field force as to how best we compete with others,? Should we not be training them as to how they should be able to convince prospects of our products ? On how to face  objections from the prospects who interact with agents from other companies too?"

"yes. sir."

"Have we done any study as to how best our competitors have been able to erode into our usual  market share ?"

"No Sir."

"Have we done at the local level any study as to which of the products of the competing companies score over our products ? Precisely, what are our deficiencies where we fail when compared to the companies who compete with us ?  Is the deficiency related to the product or the people who communicate with prospects?  Any study done? "

"No Sir."

"May I know why we have not started thinking in these lines? As marketing people, why is it that we are not keeping our antenna wide open ?"

"Sir, honestly speaking, there is no circular from C.O. in this regard."

There was a lull.

And  that was understandable.


We used to do only
when we felt a
whack on our heads.





Thursday, August 11, 2016

LAUGH AND YOU WILL LAST


In the Four Decades I had the fun and equally privilege of working and living with those who had been, like me, hired by the organisation to do odd jobs , which they now-a-days call multi-tasking staff, I had come across men and women of unmatched calibre and prowess.

In late 60s and early 70s, they were called Jay Os.

I am not talking of their knowledge, skill or attitude which they must have had, as it is was on that basis perhaps, they had been placed in their posts.

It is on the other aspect of their personality which they had carefully built around themselves I was attracted to.

A few among them talked a lot when they were sure their boss was not around.

But a few were really bold enough .Never lost any chance to prove their mettle. Witty, humorous as they were, they thrilled and enlivened the environment. . Never however hurt anyone in the process.
I mean never hit anyone below their belt.

I have heard the story of one such great humorists.  What I narrate I am damn sure really happened, people close to me have confirmed.


Ok.
Let me begin narrating the story.

The beautiful palatious Office at Delhi had then only sprung up.  And it was the privilege of Chairman to  inaugurate it.

The function started with gay and galore and with sweets and pleasantries as it ended, the Chairman wanted to walk around the beautiful building, to see for himself the structural beauty.

The pavements  lined with flowery green bushes of various hues as he walked along with our great friend were smelling pleasant.  Of Course, the head of the office and a few others were also accompanying.

Suddenly as if struck by some lightning the Chairman stopped at a point. Staring  at a point on the wall of the structure, with a grim face, short of shrieking,  he said loudly:

"Oh ! What is it ?There are some cracks visible from outside !"

As everyone was turning their faces towards the Chief Engineer who was seen managing to say  a word or two,

my good friend intervened.

With all the politeness in his command, he said:

"  Sir ! there are some cracks inside also. "

There were bursts of laughter all around.
Laughter over, back to serious business,

"It's only a wall painting overdone, Sir ! With another scratch and  coat, it will be OK."  murmured the officer in charge of buildings.

"Is it ? I now understand. Anything you overdo, will crack, of course, "

_____________________________

Even many years thereafter, around 30 or more, people were still remembering this episode.
Once he came to visit our centre to interact with us and indeed to introduce his new just-published book.I forgot the title of the book, but sure the theme of the book rested on the value of customers. (We had by that time started taking high of customers, you know! )  
I think he was then already retired, but never wore a tired look.

I was sorry , to be honest, I was never given a 5-minute even tete to have a private chat with him,   I lost an opportunity to tell  him how badly we need a shade of his  tribe in our midst. .

PS:

(A  VIP ,of my days, (near my residence, nowadays he calls himself VP) hisses that he knows this hilarious character).Says,
he is CM.


Do you know him !

When people laugh at others,
this gentleman taught us
to laugh at ourselves.

Read his books.
The cartoons there say a lot.

Again, 
have  you read his  article  on THE ABCD OF EMOTIONS. ?
The article starts with this sentence:

"Men and women are pulled and pushed by reason on the one hand and emotion on the other." 

CLICK HERE TO READ IT.

To conclude,

not unoften, there is only one situation. one issue.

But the men and women who are witness to the situation, who face the issue,
interpret it and arrive at conclusions based  on their own belief systems.

And that is inevitable.




Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Great Minds I came across

What is a memoir ?
Or What should be a memoir? 
I read a lot of them.
 People who thought that they did a lot, write them. 
Mostly on what they achieved .
Where they did not ,  up goes their pointed finger.
who came on their way ? 
A blame game !!  
Most possibly never look at, as they finish writing their memoirs. 
what was there  worth  sharing with others? 

 That these biographies /memoirs or by whatever names one calls them,
are just an uneven mixture of ups and downs of banal nay mundane things.
Everyone knows. None says. Why embarrass an old man !

 A good memoir, to me , should be dwelling more on what impacted one's way of living and loving those around. 

You speak of the Great Minds you came across.
 You narrate the Great Events that helped redesign the roads you travelled.
 You recollect those humans not just higher-ups who helped you discover the strengths in you.

Possibly these could be the basics of memoirs . 

 Let it be.

 How many of us remember that huge fire at LIC Buildings on Anna Salai (then Mount Road) at Chennai? 

It happened just like that on 11th July 1975. 

 Precious policy records, tables, typewriters and scores of almirahs went up on flame and got destroyed. Nothing worthwhile was found above 3rd or 4th floor, as most of them were reduced to just ashes.

 Personal Files of employees relating to their appointments, transfers, promotions, leave records were along part of them. 

 A day after the fire was fully doused, most of them sighed with relief, as the floors below 2nd or 3rd however were not that much affected.

 Water used to douse fires had submerged the machines and possibly records departments. 

 Three our Four days after, one could see our own workmen, among them several elderly on the verge of retirement too struggling in knee deep water to pick up and rearrange Adrema plates, punched cards, remove water from IBM machines.  I remember one GANAPATHIRAMAN who stood for seventy two hours at a stretch and was part of the DAMAGE-CONTROL JOBS.
There were equally others too. Dozens of them.  Nameless heroes. Never to be forgotten.

 Theirs was a mission noble. It was a catastrophic loss, no doubt. Reconstruction and rebuilding of records took several years. 

Today , as I remember the great fire, the massive garbages followed by the selfless services rendered by our own colleagues (a good many of them would have vacated the planet by this time ),  I also feel whether any of us  today salute the brave men and women who faced the ordeal that day !

 A fall-out of their fire was in another direction too.

 It came as a full solar eclipse to some sixty to seventy of us waiting at the various offices of the southern zone (then Andhra and Karnataka were also there ).

 We had already been promoted but placed in the Waiting List . Hardly  we least expected Agni Bhagawan, the Lord of Fire,  to consume this list also.

That  ZO  had priorities other than honoring this list was also understandable, in view of the then prevailing situation.

 When the whole ship sinks, you can't  be searching  your silky aprons. 

 A few months' afterwards however a few of us, in the list, were placed at a higher artificial cadre . They called the post as an officiating one.

 Technically Class III but my ego said class I you belong to. 
 My ego prevented me from signing the attendance register along with others, which I used to till then for full 14 years.

 The elevation ( ! ) appeared to console feelings of being left dry and orphaned for not less than twelve long years of my wait. I never enjoyed , you know, the luxury of love of my bosses, which enabled those days a quick jump on the basis of unseen confidential reports. I never felt jealous with them. You get what you deserve when you deserve.

Back to the story,

 I had before me a bigger table that I thought added to my stature.

 I was Officiating .AAO of the Loan Section/PHS Dept. With Blessings from my ADM, I started my job

Hardly two months would have elapsed, I got an insight into what I am. 

 One day I can never forget. 

 As I entered my hall at 9.45 a.m. I could see  a big queue . Not unusual those days. 
 Loans Section was always busy with a milling crowd.   Mostly we saw  faces  which revealed their  urgent need for money. Those days, the minimum loan was just Rs.100/-. Around 80 to 90 per cent of party waiting loans fell under just  five hundred rupees. 

 Every day, around  70 policy holders came  from all the places from Karur on the west, to Karaikkal on the east. on the other side. 

Pre-decentralisation days, they were.
Only D.Os. sanctioned loans.  

 The HGA as usual was distributing loan request forms, receiving filled-up applications, another attached the bond, got the parties' signature, a third one calculated, which was verified again by the HGA....etc..,...etc. 

 This process used to go on and on till 3.30 p.m. Around 1.00 p.m. parties eligible for cash payment (those days maximum cash was restricted to  Rs.250) will be called.Cheque payments were made around 3.30 pm. 

 Around 11.30 a.m. I had a feeling that my senior HGA and the other two Assistants processing loans were missing from their seats. 

A few waiting parties came to me , jumbled something. I turned around to find what happened to my friends colleagues who I always know to be workaholics ! 

 I looked through a nearby window outside. Our Department was in the 2nd floor.
 All these three friends were apparently talking to someone , may be a policyholder, at the entrance near the main gate.

What happened ?  Why they should go there?
 Was there any quarrel ? Is there some verbal duel ?

 Before I could understand what has happened, I had before me another colleague of mine, working as a Cl IV staff, in the SDM;s Sectl, who said: Sir  calls  you. 

 "What for ?" I did not ask him. I knew he would not know that. 

 It was not difficult to imagine that some uneasy situation could have developed. 

 Even before I noticed it, it should have gone to the notice of SDM I thought. I rushed to SDM;s cabin.

 The SDM was a core disciplinarian. 

The days were Emergency Days.  You know now who he ws.

 "What is happening at the gate ? He yelled at me angrily.  
 "I don't know really Sir. I shall go and check up." I said sheepishly.

 "You are AAO.You don'tknow what your men do ?" 
 "Sir, in a minute, I shall come back." 
Saying this, I rushed downstairs. 

 Hardly had I reached the entrance, I saw our cashier come from nowhere with some cash. He hands it over to the person. Gets the signature of the person in the voucher, returns to his pavilion in the same speed. 

Job over.  
My  friends call an auto rickshaw help the man get inside, tell the driver of the auto to go to the hospital immediately. The auto rickshaw leaves the office. 

 My friends look at me.

 "Sury ! He is a policyholder from Thiruthuraipoondi, near Vedaranyam.

Has come to get admitted in the Govt.Hospital. They said they needed a loan on the policy for the medical expenses. When we saw the man could not climb the stairs, we all came down.


காலத்தி னாற்செய்த நன்றி சிறிதெனினும் 
ஞாலத்தின் மாணப் பெரிது.


" Tears rolled down my eyes. I hugged my men. 

 He is not  just my friend. He is God.




 Came down to help a man in distress and dire need. 

 I understood what we meant by

YOGAKSHEMAM VAHAAMYAHAM. 

 Is it valluvar who said:
காலத்தி னாற்செய்த நன்றி சிறிதெனினும் 
 ஞாலத்தின் மாணப் பெரிது.
I can never forget this in my life.

 I know u ask me " Who are they ?"

 Two of them I remember.
 One is no more now. 

He is Ramachary, my great friend. 
Another 
essaarYes, 
who always cares for others.
(if i remember right, he retired from some office at Coimbatore. around 1997 as ADM )

 Yes.
 Great men are known by their actions. 
 Not by their designations. 

Thursday, June 9, 2016

A SWOT ANALYSIS - a new way




OSHO
REVEALS IT.

LIFE IS ETERNAL.

LIFE IS AN ENDLESS JOURNEY.

WE START SOMEWHERE AROUND THE MIDPOINT.

WE DECIDE WHERE WE GO ...!

THERE ARE FOUR QUADRANTS YOU KNOW.

I SHALL CALL THIS PARABOLA A CURVE OF EXPECTATIONS.

THE RIGHT HAND TOP QUADRANT SHOWS THE LEVEL OF YOUR EXPECTATIONS.

FOR EACH AND EVERY ACTION OF YOURS, ON THE X AXIS.
THERE IS AN OPPOSITE REACTION TOO.ON THE Y AXIS.
THAT IS REFLECTED ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. OF TOP QUANDRANT

THE HIGHER YOU PUSH UP YOUR EXPECTATIONS,
EQUALLY  STRONGER COULD BE THE VELOCITY OF THE OPPOSING FORCES.

FOR EVERY POINT ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, THERE IS A POINT ON THE LEFT.

THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE TO ABANDON YOUR DIRECTION, YOUR GOAL
INSTEAD ,
UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC AND COURSE OF YOUR OPPOSITION.
AND AT THE SAME TIME,

BE CONSCIOUS OF YOUR POSITIVE ENERGY WITHIN YOU.

OVERCOME THE OPPOSITION
BY HAVING A MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE WITH THEM.

IF THEY ARE WITHIN YOU ,
SIT QUIET AND RETROSPECT.

YOU WILL GET THE DIRECTION.

AT NO POINT,
DO NOT ALLOW THE OPPOSING FORCES TO
SUBMERGE YOU.

WHEN YOU DO NOT DO WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO,
YOU GO DOWN.



HAVING ASCENDED UP TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, WHEN YOU DECIDE
TO TAKE A CALL TO QUIT,
MIND YOU DO NOT CONTINUE TO STAND AT WHERE YOU REACHED.
BUT YOU GO DOWN.




WHEN YOU GO DOWN, THE OPPOSING FORCES , (WITHIN AND WITHOUT)
TAKE YOU STILL DOWN AND DOWN.


IN FACT, WE ARE MAKING NOT ONE OR TWO , BUT CONSCIOUSLY MAKING
SEVERAL CHOICES EVERY MOMENT, DAY-IN AND DAY OUT, UNSURE OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING ,

THIS HAPPENS AS WE FAIL TO FOCUS ON A SINGLE GOAL,

IMAGINE A CART, WHICH IS PULLED BY TWO BULLOCKS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. 
THE SURPRISE ELEMENT BOTH THE BULLOCKS ARE UNAWARE OF THE OTHER'S PRESENCE. 

THEN YOUR LIFE APPEARS WEIRD. AND COMPLEX.

MORE THAN  WHY OTHERS ARE UNABLE TO JUDGE YOU , YOU ARE NOT YOURSELF SURE AS TO WHERE YOU ARE.

ONE DAY YOU ARE HIGH UP IN THE AIR.
THE NEXT DAY
YOU ARE AT ROCK BOTTOM
WHAT IS HAPPENING ?

SO HERE TODAY
ASSESS YOUR POTENTIAL YOUR STRENGTH.
AIM
WITH DUE REGARD TO YOUR RESOURCES.

GOOD LUCK. 

Monday, June 6, 2016

The best postures for meditation | Spiritual Video

The best postures for meditation | Spiritual Video

Introduction to Mindful Awareness | Diana Winston - UCLA Health System




What is Mindful Awareness?
Mindful Awareness is the moment-by-moment process of actively and openly observing one's physical, mental and emotional experiences. Mindful Awareness has scientific support as a means to reduce stress, improve attention, boost the immune system, reduce emotional reactivity, and promote a general sense of health and well-being. Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs) are tools and exercises such as meditation, yoga and tai-chi that develop greater mind-body awareness and promote mindfulness in daily life.