It has been a truly hectic week. After the lecturing schedule at GITAM, I reached Chennai on 18th Morning. Thereafter my schedule was tight with Construction related work and handling sessions at the General Management and Communication Skills Programme for fresh Chartered Accountants.
On 19th I have again started on my journeys! I flew By Kingfisher Red to Hyderabad where on 20th I conducted a programme on Reading, Interpretation, and Analysis of Balance Sheet for Boosting Profits. I really enjoyed the interactions with the executives who attended this workshop at Hotel the Golconda, Masabtank. Then I rushed to Shamsabad Airport where I boarded Kingfisher to Bangalore. I landed at Bangalore Devenahalli airport at 10:15 PM. I then left by Bolero to Hosur. Reched Hosur at 12:30 AM. Today I conducted a Programme on Financial Awareness for the senior executives of “Premier Mills” Belathur.
I am now at the Company guest house typing this Blog!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Beaching and Teaching at Visakhapatnam
I was back at the GITAM University campus, Visakhapatnam between 13th and 17th December. It was pleasant to visit their splendid campus again. This is a sprawling 100 Acre facility, which houses nearly fifteen educational institutions including an Engineering college, a Dental College, two Institutes of Management, a Pharmacy college Undergraduate classes, polytechnics…you name it!
GITAM Institute of International Business where I was conducting lectures is one of these institutions. The campus has access from both the Eastern or seaward side as well as the western side. The road that connects these two gates is the main arterial road or backbone. The various colleges are situated along the ribs that extend from this medulla oblongata! Near the eastern gate is a massive playground. A majestic hill overlooks this green meadow. Every conceivable sport or game is played here by the students. The UG and PG hostels are around this playground. I was put up at Santi Sadan the PG hostel.
My typical day at GITAM was spent like this:
Mornings were at six. A brisk walk to the beach with Mr. Giridhar a second year student. I became friends with Giri through Dr. Dumblekhar, another visiting faculty. During my last visit, Dr. Dumblekar had suggested that we go for a walk on the beach. So almost every morning was spent “Beaching and Teaching” as Dr. Dumblekhar calls it! Dr. Dumblekhar is an expert in designing and delivering Management Games. He has an elaborate software that he uses to run these games at B School Management Meets.
After a quick bath, shave etc., I lectured from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and then from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. During the intervening free time I used to sit in the committee room handling my office through the net and my mobile. My office is wherever I am! Physical space is slowly becoming meaningless for running your business. Please not that I said “running” not delivering your product. In service industry physical meetings with clients is how we deliver our product. I think we should all concentrate on Customer and Client interaction more than on intra office interaction. Most issues (say 75%) can be resolved over mobile or E Mail.
Evenings were spent working on my research papers, book etc. with a brief stroll round the campus after a visit to the Narthans Ganapathy shrine.
On Sunday I visited Kailash Giri a reasonably high mount overlooking the Bay of Bengal! Giri was kind enough to take me there on his Pulsar! The ride on the winding Beach Road was invigorating. There is a ropeway that takes you to the hill top which is a flat plateau. The main attraction are huge statues of Siva and Parvathi. Beyond that is a park and a small shrine with a Siva Lingam.
The entire gamut of tourist attractions of Visakhapatnam is on the Beach Road. Beginning with Beemili Beach, and Rushikonda Beach we pass through the zoological park, Kenneti Park, and Kailashgiri.
A short distance away is VUDA park with Selveeland a water theme park adjacent to it. Beach Road then widens at RK Beach with a nice Promenade and beach with the customary Gandhi statue depicting the Father of Over Nation walking swiftly with a stick in hand. The crow on his head is also a standard feature not to mention the bird droppings which are complimentary!
I also had the opportunity to visit the 150 year old Waltair Club (Waltair is the anglicized name for Visakhapatnam). The bar at the club is called 1883 to commemorate the year of its inauguration!
As Giri had some urgent work at college we rushed back. The ride back was exquisitely exhilarating as we speeded along the smooth road winding its way along the beach front. On our right the slapping of the waves on the pale white shore; on our left the series of small hillocks that line the seashore. Above us the dark canopy of heavens with the stars shining down and the golden disc of the almost full moon shining in the far eastern horizon.
GITAM Institute of International Business where I was conducting lectures is one of these institutions. The campus has access from both the Eastern or seaward side as well as the western side. The road that connects these two gates is the main arterial road or backbone. The various colleges are situated along the ribs that extend from this medulla oblongata! Near the eastern gate is a massive playground. A majestic hill overlooks this green meadow. Every conceivable sport or game is played here by the students. The UG and PG hostels are around this playground. I was put up at Santi Sadan the PG hostel.
My typical day at GITAM was spent like this:
Mornings were at six. A brisk walk to the beach with Mr. Giridhar a second year student. I became friends with Giri through Dr. Dumblekhar, another visiting faculty. During my last visit, Dr. Dumblekar had suggested that we go for a walk on the beach. So almost every morning was spent “Beaching and Teaching” as Dr. Dumblekhar calls it! Dr. Dumblekhar is an expert in designing and delivering Management Games. He has an elaborate software that he uses to run these games at B School Management Meets.
After a quick bath, shave etc., I lectured from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and then from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. During the intervening free time I used to sit in the committee room handling my office through the net and my mobile. My office is wherever I am! Physical space is slowly becoming meaningless for running your business. Please not that I said “running” not delivering your product. In service industry physical meetings with clients is how we deliver our product. I think we should all concentrate on Customer and Client interaction more than on intra office interaction. Most issues (say 75%) can be resolved over mobile or E Mail.
Evenings were spent working on my research papers, book etc. with a brief stroll round the campus after a visit to the Narthans Ganapathy shrine.
On Sunday I visited Kailash Giri a reasonably high mount overlooking the Bay of Bengal! Giri was kind enough to take me there on his Pulsar! The ride on the winding Beach Road was invigorating. There is a ropeway that takes you to the hill top which is a flat plateau. The main attraction are huge statues of Siva and Parvathi. Beyond that is a park and a small shrine with a Siva Lingam.
The entire gamut of tourist attractions of Visakhapatnam is on the Beach Road. Beginning with Beemili Beach, and Rushikonda Beach we pass through the zoological park, Kenneti Park, and Kailashgiri.
A short distance away is VUDA park with Selveeland a water theme park adjacent to it. Beach Road then widens at RK Beach with a nice Promenade and beach with the customary Gandhi statue depicting the Father of Over Nation walking swiftly with a stick in hand. The crow on his head is also a standard feature not to mention the bird droppings which are complimentary!
I also had the opportunity to visit the 150 year old Waltair Club (Waltair is the anglicized name for Visakhapatnam). The bar at the club is called 1883 to commemorate the year of its inauguration!
As Giri had some urgent work at college we rushed back. The ride back was exquisitely exhilarating as we speeded along the smooth road winding its way along the beach front. On our right the slapping of the waves on the pale white shore; on our left the series of small hillocks that line the seashore. Above us the dark canopy of heavens with the stars shining down and the golden disc of the almost full moon shining in the far eastern horizon.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Communication Skills - Coimbatore
Conducted Communication Skills programme at Hotel The REsidency, Coimbatore. The programme was well received. A point I made was that people are like diamonds. Like diamonds, people have three Cs. The three Cs in diamondare Carat, Clarity and Cut. Carat Competence, Clarity is Character. These are to be verified before hiring. But Cut is the Conversion of the raw uncut stone into a sparkling muti-faceted and brilliant stone that is an adornment!
It is this area that managers need to be particularly attentive. We have it in us to either carefully chisel a person or to rudely smash him. Our tools are words. Good evaluations that praise and then offer suggestions for improvement are like chisels that polish and finish the stone. Rude and excessively negative criticism is like a hammer thst breaks.
Are we skilled diamantaries, or are we unskilled and rude workers who smash and destroy. The choice as usual is with us. The choice is in the words we us!
Another crucial skill that we miss out on is the need to use Pleasing words! This is especially so when we give feedback to our colleagues, spouse, children and others. While giving negative feedback or describing shortcomings, we prefer to use blunt and sometimes harsh words which could be counterproductive! Our immediate justification is that by being blunt, we are actually benefitting the other person. Yes, flattery and euphemism would definitely get us nowhere. But, should we choose harsh words when pleasing words are available? Thiruvalluvar gives the analogy of a fruit tree. You behold a fruit tree with both luscious ripe fruit as well as bitter unripe ones. Tell me, which one would you choose? What an idiotic question, right? The ripe ones, obviously! Then why is it not equally obvious that when we have a choice of using harsh words or pleasing words, we invariably choose the former?
Here is the relevant Kural:
“Behold the man who uses harsh words when sweet ones are at hand; he prefers the unripe fruit to the ripe! (10:10)”
Most of us see the use of Pleasing words as a weakness. It is not necessarily so. Loud voices need not be strong. A soft voice may hide extraordinary strength of purpose. Think of a material that is both soft and tough. Yes! The answer is silk! Silk is arguably the softest material to ouch! But, try to break a single strand of silk with your bare hands; the chances are that you will cut your fingers! Polite yet firm is the secret of effective communication. Shouting and abusing will instill fear, no doubt, but only in the way a donkey is afraid of its master. But a soft yet firm voice would ensure that the other person understands the position clearly and is still not hurt by the words.
In conclusion, Effective Communication is a tool for Collaboration and is one of the key ingredients of great managerial performance! Let’s be like Silk, soft yet strong!
Here is the relevant Kural:
“Behold the man who uses harsh words when sweet ones are at hand; he prefers the unripe fruit to the ripe! (10:10)”
Most of us see the use of Pleasing words as a weakness. It is not necessarily so. Loud voices need not be strong. A soft voice may hide extraordinary strength of purpose. Think of a material that is both soft and tough. Yes! The answer is silk! Silk is arguably the softest material to ouch! But, try to break a single strand of silk with your bare hands; the chances are that you will cut your fingers! Polite yet firm is the secret of effective communication. Shouting and abusing will instill fear, no doubt, but only in the way a donkey is afraid of its master. But a soft yet firm voice would ensure that the other person understands the position clearly and is still not hurt by the words.
In conclusion, Effective Communication is a tool for Collaboration and is one of the key ingredients of great managerial performance! Let’s be like Silk, soft yet strong!
Listening to Nirmal, founder of Exnora
I had the opportunity to listen to Mr. Nirmal, the founder of Exnora at SMOT campus on 10th December. He has a powerful and passionate style that belies his age, 65 years!
He spoke about many things in his inimitable rapid fire delivery.
I liked his comment about good, bad and mad government officers. The good one takes your money and does what he has promised. The bad one takes your money and fails to deliver on his promise! The mad ones… they do their duty and don’t take a bribe!
Nirmal has coined many new words including Innovention, which is a combination of innovation and Invention!
He also spoke about the 6 Hs of serving people – Help, Heart, Head, Hand, Humanity and Happiness!
He says extravagance is the enemy of the home! He says that he will not make installments make him an insolvent!
He explained how his efforts in cleaning up the street where he lived led to his forming a world famous civic rights protection organization.
He spoke about many things in his inimitable rapid fire delivery.
I liked his comment about good, bad and mad government officers. The good one takes your money and does what he has promised. The bad one takes your money and fails to deliver on his promise! The mad ones… they do their duty and don’t take a bribe!
Nirmal has coined many new words including Innovention, which is a combination of innovation and Invention!
He also spoke about the 6 Hs of serving people – Help, Heart, Head, Hand, Humanity and Happiness!
He says extravagance is the enemy of the home! He says that he will not make installments make him an insolvent!
He explained how his efforts in cleaning up the street where he lived led to his forming a world famous civic rights protection organization.
We really need Positive Thinking Now!
The young camel asked its mother, ‘Mom, why are our hooves so soft?’
The mother replied, ‘Sonny, so that we can run fast in the shifting sands of the desert.’
The young fellow was not satisfied, ‘Mom, why do we have a huge hump on our back/’
‘So that we will never go thirsty in the hot and arid desert,’ the mother responded patiently.
‘Why are we shaped in this peculiar way?’ queried the youngster.
Mom decided to give a conclusive reply. So she said, ‘We have been designed by God in such a way that we are most suited for living in the desert!’
The young camel then asked, his mother, ‘Mom, if God created us with all the qualities necessary for life in the desert, what are doing in this circus?’
A great story I heard at the inaugural of a Communication Skills Workshop for fresh Chartered Accountants. I was on the dais with Mr. V Murali, a Central Council member of ICAI and Vaz a.k.a Vasudevan, a co-facilitator on the programme. This is Vaz’s story!
I thought I’ll share it.
The story shows how we get locked into situations which are not at all what we were meant to do in life. Our talents and passion could be elsewhere. But we have to lock it all up and join the circus! Whose fault is this?
I keep constantly hearing negative feedback and views on the recession. Students of B Schools are worried about their campus and placement. They keep asking what their chances of getting hired are. They hear feedback like this recession is going to take two years to go away. They become despondent and negative.
When the sensex was nearing the dizzy heights of 20000 points most people barring a few market savvy ones predicted a boom for the next five years. In fact they put their money into the market and ended up ot knowing what hit them when the correction happened. We believed the wild hopes that these ‘well informed’ sources sowed in our midst. Now that this illogical optimism has been proved to be wrong should we not pause to question the right of these people to give us our opinion? Why should we take our thoughts second hand from these talking heads who keep jumping from one reactive comment to the next.
If we are to believe these doomsayers, the whole world is in for a huge downturn. So all of us should stop hiring new talent, and stop building new capacity. I agree in principle to a logical culling or right sizing in organizations. While these efforts need not wait for recession to trigger them, there is nothing wrong in using the general atmosphere of gloom and despair to say goodbye to unproductive and costly man power. The people who will benefit us most when employed by our competitors! (I once gave an appraisal with these words. I said, ‘This person will be great asset for us if he is employed by our competitors. In fact, he is so useless and irresponsible that we should somehow send him with our compliments to our competitors! He will ensure that they lose!)
But indiscriminately sacking people without regard for contribution is, to say the least suicidal. Remember, boom follows a depression, as the night the day! So, somewhere down the line, there is going to be a revival.
Even assuming that a full recovery is two years away, which, in my humble view, is too long, we are talking about a need for skilled, talented and trained people in hardly 24 months. Remember, the recruiting, inducting and skill-building cycle will take eighteen months. So if you need your plug and play managers by April 2010, you need to start hiring 2008!
The same will hold true for CAPEX too! You can’t have capacity just by snapping your fingers!
Why are IT and BPO companies sacking? Because they are people intensive and whether we like it all not they have to be flexible in hiring when faced with a possible sharp decline in order booking. Moreover the skill sets they need can be provided in a short duration. In fact by the time IT industry starts hiring again, the knowledge base of the IT industry would have changed totally! So taking in new recruits would possibly be better than retaining the older guys who may not be willing to learn new tricks.
So remember there is going to be an unasked question in every new selection interview. It is, “Our company is expecting heavy pressures on the bottom line, we are going to be hit by higher costs, power problems, cost overrun… etc., etc., so why should we hire you!’
Your answer should be convincing and positive. Your body language should exude positive energy. We need positive thinking now more than at any other time! We have considered ourselves great positive thinkers! Well, here is our opportunity to practice the virtue we have professed to admire!
The mother replied, ‘Sonny, so that we can run fast in the shifting sands of the desert.’
The young fellow was not satisfied, ‘Mom, why do we have a huge hump on our back/’
‘So that we will never go thirsty in the hot and arid desert,’ the mother responded patiently.
‘Why are we shaped in this peculiar way?’ queried the youngster.
Mom decided to give a conclusive reply. So she said, ‘We have been designed by God in such a way that we are most suited for living in the desert!’
The young camel then asked, his mother, ‘Mom, if God created us with all the qualities necessary for life in the desert, what are doing in this circus?’
A great story I heard at the inaugural of a Communication Skills Workshop for fresh Chartered Accountants. I was on the dais with Mr. V Murali, a Central Council member of ICAI and Vaz a.k.a Vasudevan, a co-facilitator on the programme. This is Vaz’s story!
I thought I’ll share it.
The story shows how we get locked into situations which are not at all what we were meant to do in life. Our talents and passion could be elsewhere. But we have to lock it all up and join the circus! Whose fault is this?
I keep constantly hearing negative feedback and views on the recession. Students of B Schools are worried about their campus and placement. They keep asking what their chances of getting hired are. They hear feedback like this recession is going to take two years to go away. They become despondent and negative.
When the sensex was nearing the dizzy heights of 20000 points most people barring a few market savvy ones predicted a boom for the next five years. In fact they put their money into the market and ended up ot knowing what hit them when the correction happened. We believed the wild hopes that these ‘well informed’ sources sowed in our midst. Now that this illogical optimism has been proved to be wrong should we not pause to question the right of these people to give us our opinion? Why should we take our thoughts second hand from these talking heads who keep jumping from one reactive comment to the next.
If we are to believe these doomsayers, the whole world is in for a huge downturn. So all of us should stop hiring new talent, and stop building new capacity. I agree in principle to a logical culling or right sizing in organizations. While these efforts need not wait for recession to trigger them, there is nothing wrong in using the general atmosphere of gloom and despair to say goodbye to unproductive and costly man power. The people who will benefit us most when employed by our competitors! (I once gave an appraisal with these words. I said, ‘This person will be great asset for us if he is employed by our competitors. In fact, he is so useless and irresponsible that we should somehow send him with our compliments to our competitors! He will ensure that they lose!)
But indiscriminately sacking people without regard for contribution is, to say the least suicidal. Remember, boom follows a depression, as the night the day! So, somewhere down the line, there is going to be a revival.
Even assuming that a full recovery is two years away, which, in my humble view, is too long, we are talking about a need for skilled, talented and trained people in hardly 24 months. Remember, the recruiting, inducting and skill-building cycle will take eighteen months. So if you need your plug and play managers by April 2010, you need to start hiring 2008!
The same will hold true for CAPEX too! You can’t have capacity just by snapping your fingers!
Why are IT and BPO companies sacking? Because they are people intensive and whether we like it all not they have to be flexible in hiring when faced with a possible sharp decline in order booking. Moreover the skill sets they need can be provided in a short duration. In fact by the time IT industry starts hiring again, the knowledge base of the IT industry would have changed totally! So taking in new recruits would possibly be better than retaining the older guys who may not be willing to learn new tricks.
So remember there is going to be an unasked question in every new selection interview. It is, “Our company is expecting heavy pressures on the bottom line, we are going to be hit by higher costs, power problems, cost overrun… etc., etc., so why should we hire you!’
Your answer should be convincing and positive. Your body language should exude positive energy. We need positive thinking now more than at any other time! We have considered ourselves great positive thinkers! Well, here is our opportunity to practice the virtue we have professed to admire!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Master Class for the Institute of Directors
Handled a session on "HR Practices for Business Growth" at the Masterclass for directors at the Radisson Hotel, Chennai. As usual we had a mixture of participants from various disciplines. We had theManaging Director, Mr. Krishnasamy Jeyabal, and Director, Mr. G. N. Nataaraj from Auto Shell Perfect Moulder, a company manufacturing grey cast iron from Coimbatore, the CMD of United India Insurance, Mr. G Srinivasan to name a few. Mr. M. A. Shahirudeen Director Training and Development from WINBRO Academy is an NLP trainer. Mrs. Ida Sathyanarayanan, Managing Director of WINBRO Logistics was also a participant.
THe day began with a one hour lecture on Company Law and Board Room issues by Mr. N R Sridharan, Former Director, Ministry of Company Affairs. He gave a brilliant talk on the various points that Directors should know.
Some nice quotes from his speech:
About himself:
I am a mediocre among the best; best among the mediocre. (Obviously humility. Belied by his brilliant speech!)
About his life:
A series of incidents without any accomplishments. (A nice quote from Graham Greene, but not applicableto NRS!)
About Company Law
The Companies Act is an instrument of corporate Governance.
About Accounting Standards
They improve the quality of quantity as well as the quantity of the quality!
During my session I spoke about HR practices. I think I argued a favourable case for
a. Designing HR practices from the Root of Conviction
b. Not adopting every new fad in HR or, what I call "flavour of the month" approaches.
c. Treating different employees differently so that the star performers feel that they are recognized.
My suggestion thet we should allow employees who are high on Enthusiasm and Performance. (i.e Character and Competence in the words of Stephen Covey) should be given the chance to define their own remuneration package did not meet the resistance I expected that it would. Shahir qualified by saying that this measure should be preceded by a comprehensive performance appraisal. I totally agreed with him. The appraisal could be a standard target or KRA (Key Result Area) based or a 360 degrees appraisal.
Mr. Daniel Anandraj, Director Vizual Business Tools Private Limited mentioned that he had actually done what I was recommending. Barring one executive out of twenty who reported to him, everyone had given a fair figure that was alittle below his own figure. One gentleman alone had expectations far above his entitlements as per Daniel. The point is the approach will work only with people who are high on both Enthusiasm and Performance. The suggested approach is to dialogue wuth this person. If no WIN/WIN emerges then it is NO Deal!
I also made the point that it is better to sack a person who is showing signs of negativity. Better it is a shock to him than to us!
Mr. Chandrasekhar said he had liked my idea of being a Chief Enabling Office. A Chief Enabling Officer does not tell his people what to do. Instead he shares with them his plan of action. Then he asks 'What can I do today/this week/month/year that will help you do your job better?" Thereafter he clearly tells the team, "What they can do to help him do his job better!" Then they actually start DOING THEIR JOBS!
On the whole it was an intellectual treat!
Organized Religions -- Service Providers Only?
During my recent visit to the GITAM Institue of International Business, I stayed in their Guest House for about five days. Near the eastern entrance to the huge sprwaling campus they have a nice shrine with a huge idol of Dancing Ganesha (Narthana Ganapathi). As anywhere else in AP, the priest was sincere and orthodox. I made it a daily practice to visit the shrine. I spent relaxed moments after the ritual Aarthi sitting on the polished granite flooring of the raised platform on which the shrine was built. I developed a devotion to that particular Ganapathi idol. This is something unique about Hinduism which is essentially non-dogmatic.The communion between God and anyone is so personal, unique and sacred. Organized religions can, at best, facilitate this link or try to provide a framework in the same way that an Internet Service Provider gives the necessary bandwidth. Attempting to prescribe or control belief is futile.
There as many belief systems or religions in this world as there are sentient beings…
I sometimes, get an atheist in my programmes.As I, sometimes, include philosophical and religious quotations or references, I do enquire if there are atheists. This is more for information than for bias. I sometimes ask them whether they believe that there is no God. If they answer yes, I request them to hold on steadfastly to their belief that there is no God! After all religion is all about the strength of beliefs.
Ancient Indian wisdom accepts denial of the existence of God as a belief system or Dharshana. Buddhism denies the concept of a creator/protector/destroyer God! Charvaka also denies God in his materialistic view of life!
There as many belief systems or religions in this world as there are sentient beings…
I sometimes, get an atheist in my programmes.As I, sometimes, include philosophical and religious quotations or references, I do enquire if there are atheists. This is more for information than for bias. I sometimes ask them whether they believe that there is no God. If they answer yes, I request them to hold on steadfastly to their belief that there is no God! After all religion is all about the strength of beliefs.
Ancient Indian wisdom accepts denial of the existence of God as a belief system or Dharshana. Buddhism denies the concept of a creator/protector/destroyer God! Charvaka also denies God in his materialistic view of life!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Inspirational Leadership: Back to Basics
I visited MALCO Mettur on 19th November for conducting a programme on Back to Basic Leadership. The company’s senior management feels quite strongly that in the background of global recession and financial crunch, the need of the hour was to train their executives to become great leaders. Instead of talking about arcane leadership theories, they wanted me to design and deliver an activity based programme on Basic Leadership.This is what they wanted:
At times of economic insecurity, which currently prevails across the globe, it is important for businesses to have secure foundations of honour, trust and respect among employees. For this to happen, executives and managers must trust and value their employees first. This would involve listening to their ideas, incorporating their suggestions into corporate systems and making them a part of the corporate mission. Employees who are valued for their work, well trained and inspired to take on new responsibilities and treated with respect will be more fully engaged in tehir jobs and happier at work. We realise the importance of 'Basic Leadership' and we are planning to conduct a training program for our employees on the topic 'Back to Basic
Leadership'. We had the pleasure of having Mr.Srikanth from Management Study Centre, handling a training program for us earlier on the topic 'Managerial Skills'. It would be our pleasure to have Mr.Srikanth handling another training program for us on the topic 'Back to basic Leadership'.This is how I conceived the Programme:
v Tough times do not last – But tough people and companies do – The sudden and extraordinary financial crisis prevailing across the globe has necessitated a fresh look at the way we lead and perform on the job.
v Organisations that create and nurture Inspirational leadership at all levels consistently o
ut perform their peers on every criterion.v Inspirational Leaders don’t do something different or extraordinary they simply go back to basics and become spontaneous, flexible and creative.
v This programme would provide insights and approaches that are quintessential in their simplicity and effectiveness.
v This programme would provide practical inputs on Leadership. While most management theories contain the What? of Leadership, this programme would provide tips and techniques on the How? of making your organisation a centre for Excellence and your Managers of Today the Leaders of Tommorrow.
Given an option I would have loved to call the programme Inspirational Leadership: Back to Basic Leadership!
I used various interactive games to help the executives to explore their on inherent potential for becoming great leaders who can inspire others. The Perfect Square activity resulted in their listening to the voice of leadership. The blindfold meant that they had to rely on voice alone. So those who had a voice that could give confidence and direction emerged as guides and enablers, others worked co-operatively under their control to complete the activity in time.
The participants had expressed in their feedback that they enjoyed my energy and style of presentation. Many participants had expressed that they were convinced about the efficacy of the PEP model.
A major portion of the program was conducted outside in the lawn of “Sigaram” their Centre for Training and excellence. At one point in time after the Afternoon tea break, I noticed that the lawn was strewn with used plates, paper cups and even cigarette packets. Before beginning the activity, I requested the participants to clean up the lawn and started picking up the trash myself. They quickly joined in we made the lawn a neat and tidy place in no time. I hope the message that Leadership is a choice was driven home. Leadership is not about swanking around and bossing or commanding people. It is about walking your talk and setting an example!
Remember, Leadership is a Role not a designation. Be the change you want to see around you.
Leadership is Choice
Leadership is Voice
Leadership is Poise
The programme reinforced my belief in Stephen R Covey’s Eighth Habit, which is “Finding your own voice and helping others to find theirs”.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
A Sweet Interlude
10.10.2008
Visited the factory of Parfetti Van Melle to conduct a programme on “Basic Communication Skills”. The participants were quite young and sensitive to the need for honing their communication skills. As the workshop had numerous “fun activities” the learning was experiential and relevant. Most of the concepts I discussed were based on challenges faced in day-to-day work as an executive.
Mr. Jawahar Michael, the HRD Head gave me a few insights into the particular needs of the target group. This helped me to tune my delivery.
Immediately after the Lunch break, as the participants were assembling inside the hall, I casually enquired if they had found the session, till then had been useful. All of them confirmed that it had been useful. One of the participants, Mr. Mukesh Agarwal, a gentleman from Jharkhand was kind enough to share his experience in applying the learning on the work spot! He is a part of the purchase team and as such was responsible for supplier deliveries and quality. It is a well known phenomenon almost everywhere for purchase to constantly harangue and argue with suppliers. This time Mr. Mukesh took a leap of faith based on my suggestion that communication can be soft yet firm. He reported that when he adopted this approach, the supplier who had hitherto been somewhat unresponsive had replied responsibly and had agreed to a committed course of action for resolving the issue! This, obviously, gratified me a lot as most trainers like me sincerely want the learning from our workshops to be actually applied on the job!
While training, I don’t advocate what I have not practiced myself. When a behavioral approach works, I try to make it generic by identifying the reasons that made the approach work. These characteristics of the solution are then packaged into presentations, activities and usable content.
Visited the factory of Parfetti Van Melle to conduct a programme on “Basic Communication Skills”. The participants were quite young and sensitive to the need for honing their communication skills. As the workshop had numerous “fun activities” the learning was experiential and relevant. Most of the concepts I discussed were based on challenges faced in day-to-day work as an executive.
Mr. Jawahar Michael, the HRD Head gave me a few insights into the particular needs of the target group. This helped me to tune my delivery.
Immediately after the Lunch break, as the participants were assembling inside the hall, I casually enquired if they had found the session, till then had been useful. All of them confirmed that it had been useful. One of the participants, Mr. Mukesh Agarwal, a gentleman from Jharkhand was kind enough to share his experience in applying the learning on the work spot! He is a part of the purchase team and as such was responsible for supplier deliveries and quality. It is a well known phenomenon almost everywhere for purchase to constantly harangue and argue with suppliers. This time Mr. Mukesh took a leap of faith based on my suggestion that communication can be soft yet firm. He reported that when he adopted this approach, the supplier who had hitherto been somewhat unresponsive had replied responsibly and had agreed to a committed course of action for resolving the issue! This, obviously, gratified me a lot as most trainers like me sincerely want the learning from our workshops to be actually applied on the job!
While training, I don’t advocate what I have not practiced myself. When a behavioral approach works, I try to make it generic by identifying the reasons that made the approach work. These characteristics of the solution are then packaged into presentations, activities and usable content.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Positive Attitude for Better Productivity
06.10.2008
My good friend and Mentor M Keshav, founder of MANTRA, is a regular training services provider for Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited. He usually invites me to conduct portions of his workshops for BPCL executives at their Anna Nagar office complex. These are usually sessions on Financial Well Being. So it came as a pleasant surprise to me when he wanted me to conduct a session for an hour and a half at a workshop on “Positive Attitude for Better Productivity.”
When I entered the Training hall at the time appointed for my session to commence I found that the facilitator of the preceding session was going on at full swing! The speaker Mr. V Ranganathan, a HR trainer and voice-over artist had a conversational yet powerful style. One thing that stuck in my mind from his delivery was the point he made about procrastination. He said, “We do things at our own pace, but expect results to come rushing towards us!”
After this session, Keshav introduced me with his usual flair. Keshav made the point that he chose his co-trainers not only based on their talent as speakers, trainers and facilitators but also on their proven track record in practicing what they preach! Such words not only make us feel happy but also strengthen our resolve to continue walking our talk! In fact, I do not discuss the seven habits ever in my workshops! I just share all my experiences, hurdles and learnings while implementing the seven habits in my own life!
During this session, I could introduce the following concepts to the participants:
There are no problems in the lives of Positive Thinkers, only opportunities.
Positivity is not something outside which needs to be brought inside! It is the energy within us that needs to be channelized and used. The deep scripting that we have undergone in early childhood has coated this positivity with a cynical attitude that makes us question every new idea and reject it. Positive thinking ensures that this coating is removed. Nothing changes except the way we look at things!
I also suggested that we should look at a crisis as an opportunity for learning. A Manager is paid to take decisions not merely to list out problems continuously. When faced with a problem apply WWW?/WWW? technique.
The first “WWW?” is “What Went Wrong?”(Not World Wide Wrestling!) We don’t waste time blaming people. We simply search for the root cause for the problem and identify it. Having done that, we evolve Solution strategies that are workable. This is the next “WWW?” which is “What Will Work?”.
After that we proceed for implementation. Subsequently we review the implementation for necessary course correction. This is effectiveness in a nutshell!
Practical tips for Anger Management
Anger is one of the greatest of negative forces, arguably next only to jealousy. I shared my own experience in practical Anger Management. This is what I suggest you do when you feel that you are about to lose your cool:
Step 1
Sit down! When you lose your temper you stand up! So reverse the process. You cannot remain angry while sitting down. Research has consistently shown that different nerve groups are involved when we do something while standing up.
Step 2
Drink water! Remember, when your automobile’s engine is heats up you pour water to cool it. The same logic works here too. Water is the best coolant. It cools you down. A cool body leads to a cool mind that is ready to think rather than shout!
Step 3
Take a deep breath! This gives much needed oxygen to your brain. The brain is now clear and ready to function a little more dispassionately.
Actually these three steps are not sequential. You can perform them in any order, though I find that the order I’ve given is most convenient. It is easy to sit down. Then you can even ask for water. This would alert the other person that you are trying to avoid the conflict. Both of you get the interval needed to stop confrontation and explore a route towards collaboration!
During my session, I tried to infuse some pragmatism into my delivery. I concentrated on the practical approaches to invoking and converting the positive energy inherently present in all of us to perform more effectively on the job.
Positive Thinking: Talking Vs. Workable Solutions!
29.09.2008
I happened to hear Mr. Gopinath, a Wealth Management consultant and trainer at the Valedictory function of PRIME Academy, Chennai. He has a powerful voice and a rapid fire delivery style that keeps the audience fully engaged. The speech was a rousing one on positive thinking and need for commitment.
Here are some nuggets I could pick from his speech:
While most other species are capable of maintenance only, Human beings alone are meant to excel.
Tensing Norgay, the famous Sherpa mountaineer actually failed seven times in his attempt to conquer Mt. Everest. Finally, he did climb Mt. Everest and placed his feet on the summit. During the Press meet that followed this momentous achievement, he was asked how he felt when his feet touched the peak after the eighth successful attempt. He said, ‘I felt like I had captured Mt. Everest!’ Were these the words of an arrogant man? No! He went on to explain that while he, after the arduous climb felt that he had energy to climb another 100 feet, Mt. Everest could not grow bigger than the height he had then scaled!
(I’ve heard a similar tale about Sir Edmund Hilary. On his penultimate unsuccessful attempt, Sir Hilary is reported to have turned around on his way down, looked up at the looming mountain, clenched his fists and shouted, “I will conquer you one day, because as a mountain you cannot learn or grow but as a man I can!”)
Whatever the provenance of the tale, it is inspiring and teaches us the valuable lessons that failure is but a learning opportunity and not a reason to give up!
Mr. Gopinath, repeatedly made the point that our success is entirely in our hands. All of us have the energy to succeed in whatever we choose to do! This energy is waiting within us. But, it won’t come out unless there is a challenge. It wants us to take up a challenge or a task that is apparently beyond our current abilities, physical, intellectual or financial! When faced with a challenge, this energy will flow out and enable us to actualize our true and fullest potential! If we do not take up the challenge, the energy will go with us into the grave!
He identified two vital ingredients necessary for our growth and success! Desire and Belief!
Desire
Desire is the fire in our belly! The desire to go beyond our current circumstances! “Our life is bigger than the petty things we’ve chosen to do with it!”
He waxed emotional and announced that many people believe in mediocrity. He said people who are satisfied with food, bed and a roof over their heads were no better than dogs who too are satisfied with these! (Very Powerful!)
Human beings are distinguished by our willingness to starve when we are hungry and sacrifice sleep when we are tired while working towards our chosen goals!
We Have Not Come Into This World To Exist! We Have Come To Create History!!!!
We study History to inspire ourselves and to ensure that our names are printed in the History books of the future!!!
Belief
Belief acts on our body. Belief leads to efforts that produce results.
Examples of Dr. S Radhakrishnan and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalaam were given to inspire the audience. Gopinath mentioned that Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan began his life in a small gorala or village near Thirthani (then in AP) as a Vaaralu Abhayee, meaning a bouy who had to do small errands in various houses and eat at a different house on a different day! This was the man who went on to become the President of Independent India!
Some powerful quotes
If you rise before the sun, you will rise above the Sun!
God did not send us here as tourists; we have come here as rulers!
Our birth can be an insignificant event, but our death should be a part of history!
My views on the suggestions made by the speaker:
Although I was enthusiastically applauding the oratorical skills from the Dias where I was sitting, I could not help but think that while powerful speakers like Gopinath are able to hold audiences by using rhetoric like this, when it comes to translation into real life specific situations and problems these sentiments vanish like thin mist when faced with the sun’s rays. What is needed is a pragmatic and focused approach that is based on a clear vision!
Gopinath informed us that all of us have the Power of Belief. The power to shape our lives the way we want it to be!
I agree totally, but the point is that most of us do not know what we want from life! It is here that the Seven Habits are a powerful method for bringing focus to our life! Continuously understanding and sincerely practicing the Second Habit: Begin with the End in Mind is the key to sustained superior performance and growth. The Compass is more important than the Clock! It is not how fast you walk but whether you know where you are headed!
Gopinath also lauded the efficacy of Hardwork! He gave the example of a lazy young boy who toiled hard at the behest of a sanyasi only to obtain Alauddin’s Chirag (Lamp) so that he could be idle for life! At the end of the week the Swamji showed him the genie not in the lamp but in the mirror! We are all our own genies capable of providing our heat’s desire, if only we work hard!
I am all for Hard work! But every minute should be spent in value added activities not in “work” that is meaningless or routine! Many people ask “if I work hard will I become rich!” Yes and No! Mere hardwork will give you a livelihood and will keep you away from the debtor’s prison! But wealth maximization and accumulation are more about brains than brawn! Work smarter not harder!
I happened to hear Mr. Gopinath, a Wealth Management consultant and trainer at the Valedictory function of PRIME Academy, Chennai. He has a powerful voice and a rapid fire delivery style that keeps the audience fully engaged. The speech was a rousing one on positive thinking and need for commitment.
Here are some nuggets I could pick from his speech:
While most other species are capable of maintenance only, Human beings alone are meant to excel.
Tensing Norgay, the famous Sherpa mountaineer actually failed seven times in his attempt to conquer Mt. Everest. Finally, he did climb Mt. Everest and placed his feet on the summit. During the Press meet that followed this momentous achievement, he was asked how he felt when his feet touched the peak after the eighth successful attempt. He said, ‘I felt like I had captured Mt. Everest!’ Were these the words of an arrogant man? No! He went on to explain that while he, after the arduous climb felt that he had energy to climb another 100 feet, Mt. Everest could not grow bigger than the height he had then scaled!
(I’ve heard a similar tale about Sir Edmund Hilary. On his penultimate unsuccessful attempt, Sir Hilary is reported to have turned around on his way down, looked up at the looming mountain, clenched his fists and shouted, “I will conquer you one day, because as a mountain you cannot learn or grow but as a man I can!”)
Whatever the provenance of the tale, it is inspiring and teaches us the valuable lessons that failure is but a learning opportunity and not a reason to give up!
Mr. Gopinath, repeatedly made the point that our success is entirely in our hands. All of us have the energy to succeed in whatever we choose to do! This energy is waiting within us. But, it won’t come out unless there is a challenge. It wants us to take up a challenge or a task that is apparently beyond our current abilities, physical, intellectual or financial! When faced with a challenge, this energy will flow out and enable us to actualize our true and fullest potential! If we do not take up the challenge, the energy will go with us into the grave!
He identified two vital ingredients necessary for our growth and success! Desire and Belief!
Desire
Desire is the fire in our belly! The desire to go beyond our current circumstances! “Our life is bigger than the petty things we’ve chosen to do with it!”
He waxed emotional and announced that many people believe in mediocrity. He said people who are satisfied with food, bed and a roof over their heads were no better than dogs who too are satisfied with these! (Very Powerful!)
Human beings are distinguished by our willingness to starve when we are hungry and sacrifice sleep when we are tired while working towards our chosen goals!
We Have Not Come Into This World To Exist! We Have Come To Create History!!!!
We study History to inspire ourselves and to ensure that our names are printed in the History books of the future!!!
Belief
Belief acts on our body. Belief leads to efforts that produce results.
Examples of Dr. S Radhakrishnan and Dr. APJ Abdul Kalaam were given to inspire the audience. Gopinath mentioned that Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan began his life in a small gorala or village near Thirthani (then in AP) as a Vaaralu Abhayee, meaning a bouy who had to do small errands in various houses and eat at a different house on a different day! This was the man who went on to become the President of Independent India!
Some powerful quotes
If you rise before the sun, you will rise above the Sun!
God did not send us here as tourists; we have come here as rulers!
Our birth can be an insignificant event, but our death should be a part of history!
My views on the suggestions made by the speaker:
Although I was enthusiastically applauding the oratorical skills from the Dias where I was sitting, I could not help but think that while powerful speakers like Gopinath are able to hold audiences by using rhetoric like this, when it comes to translation into real life specific situations and problems these sentiments vanish like thin mist when faced with the sun’s rays. What is needed is a pragmatic and focused approach that is based on a clear vision!
Gopinath informed us that all of us have the Power of Belief. The power to shape our lives the way we want it to be!
I agree totally, but the point is that most of us do not know what we want from life! It is here that the Seven Habits are a powerful method for bringing focus to our life! Continuously understanding and sincerely practicing the Second Habit: Begin with the End in Mind is the key to sustained superior performance and growth. The Compass is more important than the Clock! It is not how fast you walk but whether you know where you are headed!
Gopinath also lauded the efficacy of Hardwork! He gave the example of a lazy young boy who toiled hard at the behest of a sanyasi only to obtain Alauddin’s Chirag (Lamp) so that he could be idle for life! At the end of the week the Swamji showed him the genie not in the lamp but in the mirror! We are all our own genies capable of providing our heat’s desire, if only we work hard!
I am all for Hard work! But every minute should be spent in value added activities not in “work” that is meaningless or routine! Many people ask “if I work hard will I become rich!” Yes and No! Mere hardwork will give you a livelihood and will keep you away from the debtor’s prison! But wealth maximization and accumulation are more about brains than brawn! Work smarter not harder!
Delegation in a Matrix Organization?
26.09.2008
Conducted my programme on Managerial Effectiveness for the executives of En Mas Andritz Ltd. The company is engaged in supply and erection of Boilers and other capital equipments. There were fifteen executives including two who were General Managers. Mr. Rajasekharan their HR Consultant and Ms. Paromita Roy were also present.
I had to dig deep into my experience reserves to make the programme more relevant and interactive.
One of the participants raised the issue about the applicability of generic thoughts like Delegation to a flat organizational structure where dual reporting was practiced. Yes, delegating in Matrix style organizations is a challenge that needs to be addressed. I am currently working on developing a suitable approach that would work universally. I would love to receive inputs fro
m any one who has a view on this if not a solution!
Conducted my programme on Managerial Effectiveness for the executives of En Mas Andritz Ltd. The company is engaged in supply and erection of Boilers and other capital equipments. There were fifteen executives including two who were General Managers. Mr. Rajasekharan their HR Consultant and Ms. Paromita Roy were also present.
I had to dig deep into my experience reserves to make the programme more relevant and interactive.
One of the participants raised the issue about the applicability of generic thoughts like Delegation to a flat organizational structure where dual reporting was practiced. Yes, delegating in Matrix style organizations is a challenge that needs to be addressed. I am currently working on developing a suitable approach that would work universally. I would love to receive inputs fro
m any one who has a view on this if not a solution!Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Some Interestig Kerala Temples
This time I could visit temples in Kerala that I have never visited before. I give below some interesting facts about these temples that I heard during the visit or culled out from other sources which I have listed at the end of this Blog.
Temples near Alapuzha (Alleppy)
Our first stop was at the Kathyayani Temple at Cherthala, a town about 12 kms north of Alapuzha. Th Divine Mother is enshrined here. The idol was placed by Vilwamangalathu Swamiyar. The Swamiyar had seen the Goddess swinging on a swing in the bushes near the temple. He tried to catch her and failed as she jumped into the nearby pond. He managed to catch hold of her hair which came away in his hand while the Devi’s head was immersed in the mud, thus giving the name Cher (Mud) Thala (Head) to the place! It is also significant to note that there a few holes on the head of the idol indicative of the spots where the hair was uprooted by the Swamiyar.
The Swamiyar, exasperated by his failed attepts to catch the Goddess is said to forgotten himself and uttered filthy words. This might have been the first Pooram song! These songs which are essentially obscene songs sung during the Pooram festival ostensibly to appease the Goddess and obtain boons from her! (In India, where the Gods live like people and People behave like Gods, anything is possible. A religion that believes that God is everywhere has the flexibility to accept any form of devotion within its fold!)
The Saastha here is placed in a separate shrine on the southern part of the temple and is called “Udayon” or “Kavudayon” which means protector of the temple.
The temple is overrun by a host of Cockerels that have been donated to the temple as an offering to the Goddess.
We were in time to witness the Aaarthi. Before that the Temple musician sang melodiously in praise of the Goddess. The opening stanzas of the Shyamala Dhantakam “Manikya Veenamupalaalayantheem…Namasthe, Namasthe, Jagadekha Mathaha” was rendered with deep emotion. In the silence of the shrine the ringing voice of the singer instilled a sense of peace, tranquility and trust in the Divine plan, which are the tangible and lasting fruits of true devotion.
Our next stop was AmbalaPuzha. The Sree Krishnan Temple here is arguably next only to Guruvayoor. In fact, the idol of Guruvayoorappan was placed in a small shrine near the ma
in temple for sometime to safeguard it from the hordes of Tipu Sultan.
I understood from our Guruswamy Hariharasubramanian that Guruvayoorappan is an Avatar of Vishnu that precedes the Krishna Avatar. This idol of Maha Vishnu was actually worshipped by Lord Krishna himself in Dwaraka. When the time for the disappearance of Krishna drew nigh, Sree Krishna settled his presence and power in this idol so that it thereafter became an idol of Sree Krishna. The idol sank into the sea with destruction of Dwaraka after Sree Krishna’s disappearance. Later Brhaspathi (Guru) and Vayu (the God of air) retrieved it and installed it in the place which is today called Guruvayoor.
The Ambalapuzha-Paalpayasam or sweet broth made of milk, sugar and rice is well-known because of its speciality.
Parasurama the warrior-brahmin created Kerala by reclaiming land out of the sea, thus giving the name Parasuram Kshetram to that thin slice of India on the south western part. Parasurama made Kerala bountiful and beautiful. He settled groups of Brhmins in this land and made them responsible for various temples all over the land. There are various temples built by Parasurama or Bhargavarama that pepper the state.
M G Narayana Namboodri of Mannarsala describes this in his “Mandrasalodayam” thus:
“He (Parasurama) brought learned people from other regions; installed Durga and other deities in different places; appointed Brahmins who were Thantric experts for performing pujas; nominated Kshatriyas, peasants and the Ashtavaidyas… thus he made Kerala a land filled with beautiful vegetation and prosperity in every way; in this way the land of Kerala was filled with the peaceful pulsations of the quiet rural atmosphere.”
Serpent worship, too is shrouded in the venerable history of Kerala and dates back to the time when Parasurama commanded the establishment of Snake Groves, where the serpents could live freely and thrive. The worship of serpents ensured the maintenance of the delica
te ecological balance in the essentially agrarian society. Snakes protected the fields from the vermin and rodents which were the scrouge of the farmer. The snake groves ensured greenery and tree cover thus ensuring regular rains and consequent good harvest.
Chief among the Serpent Groves is the one in Mandrasala or Mannarsala where living serpents are revered and worshipped as Sarpayakshi, Nagayakshi and Naga Chamundi in the midst of a green and lush grove. There is a pond called Karoli Kulam which is deemed to have been created by the divine serpent Vasuki (an embodiment of Shiva). Another fascinating place is “The
Grandfather Grove” which is the favourite haunt of the five-headed serpent who is respectfully known as Appooppan or Muthassan. The Mannarsala Namboodris believe that Anantha the Lord of the Serpents was once born as a child in their family. He is visible only to the Antharjanam who is called the Valia Amma. The five headed serpent still lives in the Cellar here. Only the Valia Amma is allowed to enter the Cellar on every Ayilyam day.
More details of the temple at Mannarsala and its history may be had from the English transliteration of M G Narayanan Namboodri’s Mandrasalodayam titled “Mannarsala—The Serpent Temple” by Dr. Ayyappan Panikker. (Published by Manasa, publications)
We also visited both the temples of Subrahmanya in Kerala, where the idol has been installed by Parasurama. The first is Haripad. This is thje place where Lord Karthikeya was received by Hari and other Devas after killing Tharakasura. In memory of the presence of Sree Hari, Subrahmanya and the Devas, the people of the locality built a shrine to worship them. We can still see the foot-prints of Hari and the Devas at the Eastern or main entrance of the Temple. Since the foot-prints of Hari and the Devas were imprinted here, the place came to be known as Hari Pada Puram, later shortened to Haripad.
Temples on the Ernakulam-Kottayam Route
The other temple is the one at Udayanapuram. This temple is closely associated with the Vaikom Mahadevan Temple, which we visited first. Vaikom is the shortening of Vyaghrapadhapuram. The lord at Vaikom is worshipped as Dakshinamoorthy in the Morning. In the Forenoon he is adored as Kiratheshwara. The Hunter who blesses Arjuna with the Paashupathastram. In the evening he is Jagat Pitha and blesses his devotees with his entire
family of Jaganmatah Parvathi and Ganesa and Karthikeya around him.
The Udayanapuram Temple is situated about Two Kilometres north of the Vaikom Temple. The legend has it that the Kumaramangalam Temple near Kottayam waqs originally built to house the idol of Muruga now installed in Udayanapuram. But Devi Kathyayani, proclaiming ‘Kumaranalla-uru (Meaning not for Kumaran) decided to stay there. Consequently the idol was installed in Udayanapuram Temple which was originally meant to be a Devi Temple!
Here Lord Karthikeya assumes the form of the Sura Senani or Chief of the Army of Gods (Suras). When we entered the sanctum we had a divine Darshan of Lord Karthikeya in Sandalwood Paste Covering.
People believe that all the poojas and visits to the Vaikom Temple are completed only upon
visiting Udayanapuram! This is because of the immense love that the father Vaikathppan bears for his son Udayanpurathappan!
Temples near Alapuzha (Alleppy)
Our first stop was at the Kathyayani Temple at Cherthala, a town about 12 kms north of Alapuzha. Th Divine Mother is enshrined here. The idol was placed by Vilwamangalathu Swamiyar. The Swamiyar had seen the Goddess swinging on a swing in the bushes near the temple. He tried to catch her and failed as she jumped into the nearby pond. He managed to catch hold of her hair which came away in his hand while the Devi’s head was immersed in the mud, thus giving the name Cher (Mud) Thala (Head) to the place! It is also significant to note that there a few holes on the head of the idol indicative of the spots where the hair was uprooted by the Swamiyar.
The Swamiyar, exasperated by his failed attepts to catch the Goddess is said to forgotten himself and uttered filthy words. This might have been the first Pooram song! These songs which are essentially obscene songs sung during the Pooram festival ostensibly to appease the Goddess and obtain boons from her! (In India, where the Gods live like people and People behave like Gods, anything is possible. A religion that believes that God is everywhere has the flexibility to accept any form of devotion within its fold!)
The Saastha here is placed in a separate shrine on the southern part of the temple and is called “Udayon” or “Kavudayon” which means protector of the temple.
The temple is overrun by a host of Cockerels that have been donated to the temple as an offering to the Goddess.
We were in time to witness the Aaarthi. Before that the Temple musician sang melodiously in praise of the Goddess. The opening stanzas of the Shyamala Dhantakam “Manikya Veenamupalaalayantheem…Namasthe, Namasthe, Jagadekha Mathaha” was rendered with deep emotion. In the silence of the shrine the ringing voice of the singer instilled a sense of peace, tranquility and trust in the Divine plan, which are the tangible and lasting fruits of true devotion.
Our next stop was AmbalaPuzha. The Sree Krishnan Temple here is arguably next only to Guruvayoor. In fact, the idol of Guruvayoorappan was placed in a small shrine near the ma
in temple for sometime to safeguard it from the hordes of Tipu Sultan.I understood from our Guruswamy Hariharasubramanian that Guruvayoorappan is an Avatar of Vishnu that precedes the Krishna Avatar. This idol of Maha Vishnu was actually worshipped by Lord Krishna himself in Dwaraka. When the time for the disappearance of Krishna drew nigh, Sree Krishna settled his presence and power in this idol so that it thereafter became an idol of Sree Krishna. The idol sank into the sea with destruction of Dwaraka after Sree Krishna’s disappearance. Later Brhaspathi (Guru) and Vayu (the God of air) retrieved it and installed it in the place which is today called Guruvayoor.
The Ambalapuzha-Paalpayasam or sweet broth made of milk, sugar and rice is well-known because of its speciality.
Parasurama the warrior-brahmin created Kerala by reclaiming land out of the sea, thus giving the name Parasuram Kshetram to that thin slice of India on the south western part. Parasurama made Kerala bountiful and beautiful. He settled groups of Brhmins in this land and made them responsible for various temples all over the land. There are various temples built by Parasurama or Bhargavarama that pepper the state.
M G Narayana Namboodri of Mannarsala describes this in his “Mandrasalodayam” thus:
“He (Parasurama) brought learned people from other regions; installed Durga and other deities in different places; appointed Brahmins who were Thantric experts for performing pujas; nominated Kshatriyas, peasants and the Ashtavaidyas… thus he made Kerala a land filled with beautiful vegetation and prosperity in every way; in this way the land of Kerala was filled with the peaceful pulsations of the quiet rural atmosphere.”
Serpent worship, too is shrouded in the venerable history of Kerala and dates back to the time when Parasurama commanded the establishment of Snake Groves, where the serpents could live freely and thrive. The worship of serpents ensured the maintenance of the delica
te ecological balance in the essentially agrarian society. Snakes protected the fields from the vermin and rodents which were the scrouge of the farmer. The snake groves ensured greenery and tree cover thus ensuring regular rains and consequent good harvest.Chief among the Serpent Groves is the one in Mandrasala or Mannarsala where living serpents are revered and worshipped as Sarpayakshi, Nagayakshi and Naga Chamundi in the midst of a green and lush grove. There is a pond called Karoli Kulam which is deemed to have been created by the divine serpent Vasuki (an embodiment of Shiva). Another fascinating place is “The
Grandfather Grove” which is the favourite haunt of the five-headed serpent who is respectfully known as Appooppan or Muthassan. The Mannarsala Namboodris believe that Anantha the Lord of the Serpents was once born as a child in their family. He is visible only to the Antharjanam who is called the Valia Amma. The five headed serpent still lives in the Cellar here. Only the Valia Amma is allowed to enter the Cellar on every Ayilyam day.More details of the temple at Mannarsala and its history may be had from the English transliteration of M G Narayanan Namboodri’s Mandrasalodayam titled “Mannarsala—The Serpent Temple” by Dr. Ayyappan Panikker. (Published by Manasa, publications)
We also visited both the temples of Subrahmanya in Kerala, where the idol has been installed by Parasurama. The first is Haripad. This is thje place where Lord Karthikeya was received by Hari and other Devas after killing Tharakasura. In memory of the presence of Sree Hari, Subrahmanya and the Devas, the people of the locality built a shrine to worship them. We can still see the foot-prints of Hari and the Devas at the Eastern or main entrance of the Temple. Since the foot-prints of Hari and the Devas were imprinted here, the place came to be known as Hari Pada Puram, later shortened to Haripad.
Temples on the Ernakulam-Kottayam Route
The other temple is the one at Udayanapuram. This temple is closely associated with the Vaikom Mahadevan Temple, which we visited first. Vaikom is the shortening of Vyaghrapadhapuram. The lord at Vaikom is worshipped as Dakshinamoorthy in the Morning. In the Forenoon he is adored as Kiratheshwara. The Hunter who blesses Arjuna with the Paashupathastram. In the evening he is Jagat Pitha and blesses his devotees with his entire
family of Jaganmatah Parvathi and Ganesa and Karthikeya around him.The Udayanapuram Temple is situated about Two Kilometres north of the Vaikom Temple. The legend has it that the Kumaramangalam Temple near Kottayam waqs originally built to house the idol of Muruga now installed in Udayanapuram. But Devi Kathyayani, proclaiming ‘Kumaranalla-uru (Meaning not for Kumaran) decided to stay there. Consequently the idol was installed in Udayanapuram Temple which was originally meant to be a Devi Temple!
Here Lord Karthikeya assumes the form of the Sura Senani or Chief of the Army of Gods (Suras). When we entered the sanctum we had a divine Darshan of Lord Karthikeya in Sandalwood Paste Covering.
People believe that all the poojas and visits to the Vaikom Temple are completed only upon
visiting Udayanapuram! This is because of the immense love that the father Vaikathppan bears for his son Udayanpurathappan!References:
The Important Temples of Kerala, Kunjikuttan Elayath, (2003), Translated by K. Janardhana Kurup. H& C Publishing House, Thrissur, 680001. (0487-2421467) A treasurehouse of information about Kerala Temples. A must for every devout visitor to the state.
The Nagaraja Temple Mannarsala, Dr. Ayyappa Panicker, (2006) Mansa Publication, Mannarsala P.O. Harippad.
Vaikom Mahadeava Temmple, History and Legend, T D Narayanan Nampoothri, Translated by Achrya gowrishankar, Mumbai, (1998) Malayalarajyam Book Depot, West Nada,Vaikom- 686141 (0482-622750) A very inspiring account of Vaikkathppan and his greatness.
The Nagaraja Temple Mannarsala, Dr. Ayyappa Panicker, (2006) Mansa Publication, Mannarsala P.O. Harippad.
Vaikom Mahadeava Temmple, History and Legend, T D Narayanan Nampoothri, Translated by Achrya gowrishankar, Mumbai, (1998) Malayalarajyam Book Depot, West Nada,Vaikom- 686141 (0482-622750) A very inspiring account of Vaikkathppan and his greatness.
The Significance of the Eighteen Steps at Sabhari Mala
21.09.2008
I am just back from my annual pilgrimage to Sabhari Mala. Yes, I am tired and my legs are stiff and sore! Yet I am totally at peace with myself. As I use this Sunday to contemplate on the journey and the temples we visited, I thank Lord Ayyappan for being with us throughout the Journey and protecting us from harm and danger.
Before I begin a brief description of some of the Temples we visited, I thought it fit that I should dwell upon the significance of the Eighteen Steps which are at the heart of the Pilgrimmage to Sabhari. In fact, most veterans of Sabhari Yatra invariably enquire whether the pilgrim could comfortably transcend the Eighteen Steps. While the divine darshan is the boon of the pilgrimage, for the devotee who has maintained his Vratha and has carried the Iru Mudi on his head, climbing the Eighteen steps in peace and tranquility is the culmination of the Yatra.
What is the significance of the Eighteen Steps?
As in most symbolism related issues, especially more so in Hindu Mythology, there is more than one way of understanding the Eighteen Steps.
Significance of the number Eighteen
To begin with, Eighteen is significant number in Hinduism: the Mahabharathe war was fought in Eighteen Days; The Bhagavad Geetha has Eighteen Chapters; The main Puranas are Eighteen. Eighteen is a complete number.
The origin of the Eighteen Steps.
When Ayyappan decided to leave this earthly abode and take up his rightful place amongst the celestial pantheon, he selected the sacred Sabhari hill as the spot for his ascent. He bade farewell to his father-on-earth, Panthala Raja and ascended to the skies where Indira the King of Gods had created the Seat of Knowledge (Jnana Peetam). This throne was a bit high for our Lord who was just twelve years old. In order to facilitate his
Ascent, eighteen Devas who had come to witness the sight, lay themselves down quickly at His feet. Ayyappan then climbed on these Eighteen divine “steps” to reach the throne where he sat in the Yogic position. The Eighteen Devas froze into the Eighteen Steps. Later, when Parasuramar established the original temple, he worshipped these Eighteen steps and further sanctified them. The Steps are in themselves divine and therefore worthy of worship. This is called Padi Pooja.. These steps are also called The Eighteen Golden Steps of Absolute Truth. (Sathiyamana Ponnu Pathinettu Padigal)
Some also state that Ayyappan was carrying Eighteen different types of weapons when he came t Sabhari, which he sacrificed to create the Eighteen steps that he climbed to reach his throne.
The original Eighteen Steps were narrow and difficult to climb. The earlier practice of breaking Coconuts on the step indicating the number of each pilgrims journey to Sabhari had chipped and mutilated the steps so much that the Devaswom has covered the original steps with Gold plated even ones that we see today. (By the grace of Ayyappan, I have had the opportunity to climb the original steps on my first, second and third trips during 1982 to 1984.)
The Symbolism of The Steps
There are many lists of Eighteen associated with the steps. A popular one gives the following:
The Five Sense Organs (Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue, Hands and feet), The Five Senses (Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste and Touch), the Five Koshas or figurative coverings of the body (Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Jnana Maya and Ananda Maya) and the Three Gunas ( Rajogunam, Thamogunam and Sathva Gunam).
These Eighteen are obstructions in the path of oneness with God. The true devotees of Ayyappan alone are taught the secret of controlling and Chanelizing these qualities and transcending these limitations by crossing the Eighteen steps. In this sense the climbing the Eighteen Steps is a figurative conquest of our own limitations and achieving our fullest potential by the grace of God. Om Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa!!!
Another view links the Eighteen steps to the eighteen Vital spots in the Human nervous system as listed in the Shareera Sasthra namely 1. Mooladharam,2. Swaadhistanam, 3. Manipooragam, 4. Anaahatham, 5. Vambi, 6. Visuddhi, 7. Aangatha, 8. Bindhu, 9. Ardha Chakram, 10. Rosini, 11. Naagam, 12. Santharam, 13. Shakthi, 14. Vyanikam, 15. Samanam, 16. Unmanam, 17. Maha Bindhu and 18. Sahasraaram. These Yoga Saasthra secrets are symbolically represented in the Eighteen Steps.
(If anyone knows of any other significance or reasons, do communicate it to me for my enlightenment and sharing with others. Om Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa!!!)
None can climb these Eighteen steps without an Iru Mudi or sacred offering on their head, except the High Priest and his assistants and even they only after great purification and test during the performance of Padi Pooja. It is not possible to lift your head while carrying the Irumudi. Thus by a natural tendency the devotee climbs with his head bowed down, one step at a time. This, in my humble view is the true significance of the Pathinettu Padi. Our growth should be step by step and not a meteoric flash that disappears almost as it is seen. Such steady growth in slow yet sure steps is vouchsafed only to those who walk with a firm yet humble steps guided by God in His infinite Wisdom. Om Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa.
(I have taken some of the data given above from a very useful and authoritative book written by Kovi. Arangan Swami titled “ A Complete Guide about Sabarimala. Set in Q & A pattern the book throws light on almost every facet of the Sabhari Pilgrimage through answers to 300 Questions. I happened upon it in the Ayyappa Seve Samajam bookj stall. After I had gone through it I asked the voulunteer for a copy I was pleasantly surprised to note that he was none other then the author Kovi Arangan Swami. He not only sold the book to me, he also autographed it for me!)
I am just back from my annual pilgrimage to Sabhari Mala. Yes, I am tired and my legs are stiff and sore! Yet I am totally at peace with myself. As I use this Sunday to contemplate on the journey and the temples we visited, I thank Lord Ayyappan for being with us throughout the Journey and protecting us from harm and danger.
Before I begin a brief description of some of the Temples we visited, I thought it fit that I should dwell upon the significance of the Eighteen Steps which are at the heart of the Pilgrimmage to Sabhari. In fact, most veterans of Sabhari Yatra invariably enquire whether the pilgrim could comfortably transcend the Eighteen Steps. While the divine darshan is the boon of the pilgrimage, for the devotee who has maintained his Vratha and has carried the Iru Mudi on his head, climbing the Eighteen steps in peace and tranquility is the culmination of the Yatra.
What is the significance of the Eighteen Steps?
As in most symbolism related issues, especially more so in Hindu Mythology, there is more than one way of understanding the Eighteen Steps.
Significance of the number Eighteen
To begin with, Eighteen is significant number in Hinduism: the Mahabharathe war was fought in Eighteen Days; The Bhagavad Geetha has Eighteen Chapters; The main Puranas are Eighteen. Eighteen is a complete number.
The origin of the Eighteen Steps.
When Ayyappan decided to leave this earthly abode and take up his rightful place amongst the celestial pantheon, he selected the sacred Sabhari hill as the spot for his ascent. He bade farewell to his father-on-earth, Panthala Raja and ascended to the skies where Indira the King of Gods had created the Seat of Knowledge (Jnana Peetam). This throne was a bit high for our Lord who was just twelve years old. In order to facilitate his
Ascent, eighteen Devas who had come to witness the sight, lay themselves down quickly at His feet. Ayyappan then climbed on these Eighteen divine “steps” to reach the throne where he sat in the Yogic position. The Eighteen Devas froze into the Eighteen Steps. Later, when Parasuramar established the original temple, he worshipped these Eighteen steps and further sanctified them. The Steps are in themselves divine and therefore worthy of worship. This is called Padi Pooja.. These steps are also called The Eighteen Golden Steps of Absolute Truth. (Sathiyamana Ponnu Pathinettu Padigal)
Some also state that Ayyappan was carrying Eighteen different types of weapons when he came t Sabhari, which he sacrificed to create the Eighteen steps that he climbed to reach his throne.
The original Eighteen Steps were narrow and difficult to climb. The earlier practice of breaking Coconuts on the step indicating the number of each pilgrims journey to Sabhari had chipped and mutilated the steps so much that the Devaswom has covered the original steps with Gold plated even ones that we see today. (By the grace of Ayyappan, I have had the opportunity to climb the original steps on my first, second and third trips during 1982 to 1984.)
The Symbolism of The Steps
There are many lists of Eighteen associated with the steps. A popular one gives the following:
The Five Sense Organs (Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue, Hands and feet), The Five Senses (Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste and Touch), the Five Koshas or figurative coverings of the body (Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Jnana Maya and Ananda Maya) and the Three Gunas ( Rajogunam, Thamogunam and Sathva Gunam).
These Eighteen are obstructions in the path of oneness with God. The true devotees of Ayyappan alone are taught the secret of controlling and Chanelizing these qualities and transcending these limitations by crossing the Eighteen steps. In this sense the climbing the Eighteen Steps is a figurative conquest of our own limitations and achieving our fullest potential by the grace of God. Om Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa!!!
Another view links the Eighteen steps to the eighteen Vital spots in the Human nervous system as listed in the Shareera Sasthra namely 1. Mooladharam,2. Swaadhistanam, 3. Manipooragam, 4. Anaahatham, 5. Vambi, 6. Visuddhi, 7. Aangatha, 8. Bindhu, 9. Ardha Chakram, 10. Rosini, 11. Naagam, 12. Santharam, 13. Shakthi, 14. Vyanikam, 15. Samanam, 16. Unmanam, 17. Maha Bindhu and 18. Sahasraaram. These Yoga Saasthra secrets are symbolically represented in the Eighteen Steps.
(If anyone knows of any other significance or reasons, do communicate it to me for my enlightenment and sharing with others. Om Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa!!!)
None can climb these Eighteen steps without an Iru Mudi or sacred offering on their head, except the High Priest and his assistants and even they only after great purification and test during the performance of Padi Pooja. It is not possible to lift your head while carrying the Irumudi. Thus by a natural tendency the devotee climbs with his head bowed down, one step at a time. This, in my humble view is the true significance of the Pathinettu Padi. Our growth should be step by step and not a meteoric flash that disappears almost as it is seen. Such steady growth in slow yet sure steps is vouchsafed only to those who walk with a firm yet humble steps guided by God in His infinite Wisdom. Om Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa.
(I have taken some of the data given above from a very useful and authoritative book written by Kovi. Arangan Swami titled “ A Complete Guide about Sabarimala. Set in Q & A pattern the book throws light on almost every facet of the Sabhari Pilgrimage through answers to 300 Questions. I happened upon it in the Ayyappa Seve Samajam bookj stall. After I had gone through it I asked the voulunteer for a copy I was pleasantly surprised to note that he was none other then the author Kovi Arangan Swami. He not only sold the book to me, he also autographed it for me!)
Monday, August 25, 2008
Darasuram
These photos are from Darasuram. It is a crying shame hat these architectural monuments are allowed to decay and rot in the name of preservation. Why not reconstruct them to the best of our abilities as they would have looked during the Chola period. I am sure Raja Raja would want only that. The Nayakars who have added a lot of wall paintings to the outer walls of the temple seemed to have had no compunction about touching or changing these ancient chola marvels.
Paradise Resort
Ganapathi Raman the brain behind Paradise Resort with a row of heritage houses in the backdropWe next headed for Tanjore, where we stayedat Paradise Resort. This is a classic heritage resort set in the lush green Thanjavur countryside on the banks of the Arisalaru, a distributory of the Cauvery. The resort has been painstakingly crafted on a more than ten acres of serene ntural beauty. The rooms are masterpieces of archtectural reconstruction. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. The bathrooms are fitted with the the best fittings and have massive bathtubs.
The promoters are an unassuming yet highly creative couple, Ganapathi Raman and Latha Raman. Ganapathi is a Chartered Accountant with industry experience with Lucen Technologies. It just goes to show that there is nothing that Chartered Accountants are not capable of doing!
We spent the evening viewing the world famous Tanjore Brahadeeswarar Temple in the evening. The massive Nandi, Siva Lingam and Gopuram were awe inspiring.
The next day was spent in viewing the sculptural splendour of the Iravatheeswarar Temple at Darasuram. The temple at Tanjore was built by Raj Raja Chola I. There is another temple at Gangai Konda Cholapuram built by Rajendra Chola his son. And then we have the Darasuram temple built by Raj Raj Chola II the grandson!
The Arisalaru
Those of us who have read Ponniyin Selvan by Amarar Kalki would appreciate the significance of the Arisalaru and its environs which are the backdrop of substantial parts of the First part.
Independence Day at Puducherry
(Puduchery celebrates Independence Day)This year Independence Day (15.08.08) fell on Friday making it a long weekend for everyone. We decided to take the weekend off and headed south to Tanjore.
Enroute we stopped over at Pondicherry, the pictersque French colony just a two hours drive from Chennai. As 15th August is Shri Aurobindo Day, the Ashram had opened the room used by him for public viewing. We took the token and queued up to see the room, pasing through a narrow staircase leading to it. The room is just above the meditation hall and beyond The Mother's samadhi.
The room has an aura that is quite palpable. The presence of the great soul can still be felt by those who tune to it. My daughter Srija could feel it too, but she experienced it as a heavy pressure that made her a bit dizzy.
As we walked out I remembered Aurobindo's words, " India cannot attain freedom until every Indian has become free from the shackles ogf his own ignorancea nd egotism."
(Puducherry Central Park)
We then spent time in the Central park; a huge expanse of green with a miniature Arc De Triomph in the midddle.
In the evening we browsed around J N Street. I happened upon a nice Art Gallery tucked into a old heritage building on Mission Street. The paintings were by a group of Pondy based artists. It was run by Mr. Anand. Anand's painting of an Indian Mona Lisa in Gujarathi dress was arresting.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Corporate Leadership
Institute of Directors (IOD) in association with UK’s World Council for Corporate Governance (WCFCG) is offering a unique opportunity to both executive and non-executive directors to obtain a world-class certificate as Certified Corporate Directorship by participating in the MASTERCLASS FOR DIRECTORS program.
Recent boardroom reforms introduced in most countries have put the onus of responsibility on directors, to meet such challenges that Institute of Directors has designed a unique, innovative and comprehensive programme for Company Directors.
I Conducted the session on Corpoate Leadership- Building High Performance Boards at MasterClass for Directors programme conducted by the Institute of Directors.
The participants were a varied mix of highly proactive individuals from entrepreneurship, Industry and Academia. We interactively explored the concept of Leadership and the role of Boards in motivation and regulating the CEO and his team.
Some issues I liked were regarding the ability to measure qualitative issues like integrity.
One participant who impressed me was Dr. Nirmal from Madurai who had a list of qualifications that ran for four lines. He gave each co-participant and me a miniature copy of the Bhagavad Gita as a memento of the programme.
Recent boardroom reforms introduced in most countries have put the onus of responsibility on directors, to meet such challenges that Institute of Directors has designed a unique, innovative and comprehensive programme for Company Directors.
I Conducted the session on Corpoate Leadership- Building High Performance Boards at MasterClass for Directors programme conducted by the Institute of Directors.
The participants were a varied mix of highly proactive individuals from entrepreneurship, Industry and Academia. We interactively explored the concept of Leadership and the role of Boards in motivation and regulating the CEO and his team.
Some issues I liked were regarding the ability to measure qualitative issues like integrity.
One participant who impressed me was Dr. Nirmal from Madurai who had a list of qualifications that ran for four lines. He gave each co-participant and me a miniature copy of the Bhagavad Gita as a memento of the programme.
Monday, August 11, 2008
A Day of Ease
And on on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the Seventh day from all his work...
And God blessed the Seventh day and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work...
(Genesis 2: 2 & 3)
Sleep a little late;Leisurely cup of tea;
Painting and sketching till heart's content!
Hot bath, then
a hot home cooked meal
with family; tubers, those dangerous foodstuffs
today, can be relished,
on this day of ease!
Chatting with spouse and children,
remembering the highlights of a week gone by;
Planning (with prayer) for the week to come.
A pleasurable outing in the evening
The beach, cool breeze, bright sun
People and fun;
Dinner at a favorite place
home to bed!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Hosur: Programme on Negotiation Skills
I am at Hosur today. I just finished a one-day programme on Excellence in Negotiation Skills for a group of executives of LUK India Private Limited, a auto-component manufacturing company, which is art of a large German group. They manufacture Clutch Assemblies. The factory was spic and span.
Hosur is an air conditioned town. The weather is uniformly pleasant and balmy. It was also quite windy today. I find Hosur a pleasant change from the sultry and humid Chennai weather.
Hosur is an air conditioned town. The weather is uniformly pleasant and balmy. It was also quite windy today. I find Hosur a pleasant change from the sultry and humid Chennai weather.
Active Listening
Listening is rightly denominated the motherskill in communication. In fact the ability to listen distinguishes the great fcommuncators from the merely good. Active Listening is the art of listening with full concentration so as to completely understand what the speaker is saying. It enables effectiveness and Stephen Covey advocates Active Listening as an important ingredient for practicing the 5th Habit - Seek First to Understand Then to be Understood.
Here are FIVE Simple Tips for becoming an Active Listener:
Here are FIVE Simple Tips for becoming an Active Listener:
- Allow the other person to complete his entire message.
- Don’t Interrupt. But provide Verbal and Non-Verbal Support.
Example: Nodding, Smile, prompting, Open body position, Forward movement of the Head and Trunk - Take Notes continuously.
- After the other person has spoken fully ask Clarificatory and Open Ended Questions
- Summarize the understanding clearly.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Kalaiyar Kovil
Kalaiyar Kovil 
I was in Madurai today (07.08.08) and had to visit Siva Ganga district. In the evening I decided to visit the nearby Shiva Temple at Kalaiyar Kovil. The tall gigantic temple gopuram is visible even as we enter the small hamlet.
The Swarna Kaleeswarar temple was built by Muthu Vaduga Thevar who died in the patriotic war against the British at this very place, Kalaiyar Kovil. His generals were the famous Maruth
u Brothers who also died then. The temple lives on in their memory. A huge sprawling campus it epitomizes, everything that South Indian Temples stand for i. e. Wisdom, Strength and Beauty. The Wisdom of the Kings who built them, The strength of the structures themselves which have stood the test of time and lastly the beauty of the carvings and intricate detail that has been brought out in the wall frescoes and pillar 
decorations.
The Theppa Kulam at Kalaiyarkovil is huge and full of water!
One only wishes that these symbols of our ancient glory were preserved well instead of being allowed to become dust through sheer neglect and insensitivity!
En route to Kalaiyar Kovil is Nattarasankottai where the author of the Tamil version of Ramayan, Kambar was laid to rest. The Kannathal temple is also at Nattarasankottai. Another famous temple nearby is the Vettudaiyar Kali temple at Kollankudi. We couldn’t see these places for want of time. Maybe next time…!
I was in Madurai today (07.08.08) and had to visit Siva Ganga district. In the evening I decided to visit the nearby Shiva Temple at Kalaiyar Kovil. The tall gigantic temple gopuram is visible even as we enter the small hamlet.
The Swarna Kaleeswarar temple was built by Muthu Vaduga Thevar who died in the patriotic war against the British at this very place, Kalaiyar Kovil. His generals were the famous Maruth
u Brothers who also died then. The temple lives on in their memory. A huge sprawling campus it epitomizes, everything that South Indian Temples stand for i. e. Wisdom, Strength and Beauty. The Wisdom of the Kings who built them, The strength of the structures themselves which have stood the test of time and lastly the beauty of the carvings and intricate detail that has been brought out in the wall frescoes and pillar 
decorations.
The Theppa Kulam at Kalaiyarkovil is huge and full of water!
One only wishes that these symbols of our ancient glory were preserved well instead of being allowed to become dust through sheer neglect and insensitivity!
En route to Kalaiyar Kovil is Nattarasankottai where the author of the Tamil version of Ramayan, Kambar was laid to rest. The Kannathal temple is also at Nattarasankottai. Another famous temple nearby is the Vettudaiyar Kali temple at Kollankudi. We couldn’t see these places for want of time. Maybe next time…!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Enabling Vs. Managing
There was a repeat programme on Managerial effectiveness at Hyundai 06.08.08. This time the audience had a lot of Graduate Engineering Trainees in it. One of the main problems faced by them is that they have to work with people who report into them but are senior in age. I attempted to provide solutions during the programme in the form of behavioural approaches that disarm the other person and then bring them closer.
I think the session based on the movie clipping from Vasool Raja MBBS made an impact. Use of video clippings is emerging as an important tool in training.
The photos show the participants engaged in an activity where they have to enact a machine in which each one of the team is a moving component!
Participants seem to have understood the difference between a manager, a leader and an enabler. An enabler is participatory and positive. He or she is like a catalyst that does not react but helps the reaction to happen! With complexities and continu
ous polarization, the tools of discipline and reward (Sticks and carrot) need to be replaced by the Purpose, Empowerment, Praise (PEP) model of Leadership and motivation. This was discussed in the programme.
I think the session based on the movie clipping from Vasool Raja MBBS made an impact. Use of video clippings is emerging as an important tool in training.
The photos show the participants engaged in an activity where they have to enact a machine in which each one of the team is a moving component!
Participants seem to have understood the difference between a manager, a leader and an enabler. An enabler is participatory and positive. He or she is like a catalyst that does not react but helps the reaction to happen! With complexities and continu
ous polarization, the tools of discipline and reward (Sticks and carrot) need to be replaced by the Purpose, Empowerment, Praise (PEP) model of Leadership and motivation. This was discussed in the programme.Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Whether India becomes a superpower or not Indians should become Superpeople
I had the opportunity to listen to gentleman from china on the above point! His view was that India is still a developing country mainly because of our willingness to allow everyone the freedom of speech. He felt that China and Singapore had risen in global status mainly because their people had agreed to forego their freedom to object to laws in a limited way in the larger interests of economic growth and dominance. Without getting into the pros and cons of this argument, I quote from a long essay written by Shri. Ramachandra Guha for Outlook magazine, titled "Will India Become a Superpower?"
" The challenges of the naxalites, the insidious presence of the Hindutwadis; the degradationof the once liberal and upright cantre; the increasing gap between the rich and poor; the trivialization of the media; the unsustainability, in an environmental sense, of present patterns of resource consumption; the instability and policy incoherence caused by muti-party coalation governments--these are the seven reasons why India will never be a superpower. To this, so to say, objective judgment of the historian, I will now add the sujective desires of a citizen - which is that India should not even attempt to become a superpower."
He goes on to say that we should judge ourselves not against the achievements real or imagined, of other countries, but in the light of our own norms and ideals.
But one thing the chinaman said, I founfd valid. He argued that more than infrastructure, India needs a change in the attitude of the people. For example, when Singapore decided to have a clean envvironment and city, they decided to first educate people and make them understand that spitting in public and littering are socially unacceptable. Thereafter, they built worldclass infrastructure that these educated people use carefully and with pride. Most people who have visited Singapore praise its cleanliness oft forgetting that while they were in Singapore they balled up their litter and pocketed it till they found a trash can;but, the minute they land in India, they start littering freely again!
Whether India becomes a superpower or not, Indians must become Super People!
" The challenges of the naxalites, the insidious presence of the Hindutwadis; the degradationof the once liberal and upright cantre; the increasing gap between the rich and poor; the trivialization of the media; the unsustainability, in an environmental sense, of present patterns of resource consumption; the instability and policy incoherence caused by muti-party coalation governments--these are the seven reasons why India will never be a superpower. To this, so to say, objective judgment of the historian, I will now add the sujective desires of a citizen - which is that India should not even attempt to become a superpower."
He goes on to say that we should judge ourselves not against the achievements real or imagined, of other countries, but in the light of our own norms and ideals.
But one thing the chinaman said, I founfd valid. He argued that more than infrastructure, India needs a change in the attitude of the people. For example, when Singapore decided to have a clean envvironment and city, they decided to first educate people and make them understand that spitting in public and littering are socially unacceptable. Thereafter, they built worldclass infrastructure that these educated people use carefully and with pride. Most people who have visited Singapore praise its cleanliness oft forgetting that while they were in Singapore they balled up their litter and pocketed it till they found a trash can;but, the minute they land in India, they start littering freely again!
Whether India becomes a superpower or not, Indians must become Super People!
Evaluation- The cornerstone of Toastmasters!
03.08.2008
I was the Table Topics Evaluator at ny Toastmaster Club meeting today. The speakers were above average and I sincerely hope I gave them good feedback. Incidentally, they gave me the best evaluator ribbon!
Here are some tips on good evalation techniques I heard at the Education session on Evaluation conducted by DTM Manian, a senior Toastmaster from Bangalore:
- Evaluation is the cornerstone of the Toastmasters Edifice.
- Evaluators are not specialists, but rather ordinary people giving feedback and learning in that process the art of giving constructive feedback.
- An evaluator should ask the speaker, beforehand, whether there are any specific inputs they would like to have on their delivery or content.
- The speaker deserves the evaluator's service. The Evaluator owes him three and a half minutes, which is the time allotted for evaluation.
- 6o% of the time, your evaluation should be positive and full of praise for the good things the speaker said or did; 30% of the time should be pointing out the possibilities for improvement in a constructive manner; the remaining 20% should give suggestions for inprovement.
- An Evaluation should also have a begining body and conclusion.
- Keep on noting down positive points because 60% of your time should be postive and constructive.
- Don't keep on carping on negatives.
- Begin with a quotation that is relevant.
- You can use notes.
- Your Summation carries 15 marks, so sum up the evaluation. Summing up should mention positive points, shortcomings and suggestions. Mention that you are going to sum up your evaluation!
- An analytical approach should be preferred.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Experience Vs. Evidence
Dr. S K Rajan, a leading doctor and former Dean of the Stanley Medical College, spoke at our Rotary meeting today. I lked some of the quotes the good doctor used in his speech which was basically on early detection of Asthma, titled, "Sneezing and Wheezing."
He began by saying that he would prefer not to use a Audio Visual Presentation as he would then be speaking on what he knows, unmindful of what we, the audience needed. I liked this usage.
He also said that Asthma may be inherited through parents, inevitable due to pollution and finally invitable through smoking and excessive perfume use!
He had a lot to say about the advantages of experience in the practice of medicine. He said most experiential approaches used by Indian physicians have been confirmed by western research. Unfortunately in India no one can pursue research work. Privately funded research is rare in India. He also pointed out that western books on medicine may not be relevant to Indian contexts. To use his words, "whatever signs and symptoms are present at the bedside of Indian patients is no found in western journals."
His quote, "Experience is Permanent, Evidence temporary," was thought provoking. (In fact I used it to quote my own favourite verse from Kannadasan on experience.
He began by saying that he would prefer not to use a Audio Visual Presentation as he would then be speaking on what he knows, unmindful of what we, the audience needed. I liked this usage.
He also said that Asthma may be inherited through parents, inevitable due to pollution and finally invitable through smoking and excessive perfume use!
He had a lot to say about the advantages of experience in the practice of medicine. He said most experiential approaches used by Indian physicians have been confirmed by western research. Unfortunately in India no one can pursue research work. Privately funded research is rare in India. He also pointed out that western books on medicine may not be relevant to Indian contexts. To use his words, "whatever signs and symptoms are present at the bedside of Indian patients is no found in western journals."
His quote, "Experience is Permanent, Evidence temporary," was thought provoking. (In fact I used it to quote my own favourite verse from Kannadasan on experience.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Kuselan: Irredeemable Tamil Cinema!
I have this theory about tamil cinema. Tamil Drama or in a real sense, Dance Drama is the predecessor of Tamil Cinema. It has its roots in Therukkoothu or Bhagavatham. In both these performing arts, it is quite natural (in fact, required!) for the protagonists to launch into song and dance at any point in time in the performance irrespective of plot, story or logic. In fact, the story is no more than the backdrop for these song and dance sequences. It is also customary for the arrival of Hero, Heroine, Villain and Comedian to be announced by a song and dance!
We can see the vestiges or hangover of this tradition in the best made Tamil Movies. Where, the plot and logic are abandoned for a song number. This song would actually go on to become a hit song out of its context and relevance in the movie. It is also common for tamil viewers to use song sequences as breaks for smoking and relieving themselves.
K Balachander (KB) was the first director who lifted Tamil Cinema from this tradition and instead used lyrics as an integral part or component in moving the story. No one could walk out during the song in a KB movie as they may miss an important aspect of the plot! Another Balachander (Sundaram Balachander) had already shown us in 1954 that a plot specific movie with no song and dance diversions can be made in Tamil. That movie was Antha Naal, considered even today as a directorial masterpiece. But it was KB who took Tamil Cinema to its greatest heights.
We can see the vestiges or hangover of this tradition in the best made Tamil Movies. Where, the plot and logic are abandoned for a song number. This song would actually go on to become a hit song out of its context and relevance in the movie. It is also common for tamil viewers to use song sequences as breaks for smoking and relieving themselves.
K Balachander (KB) was the first director who lifted Tamil Cinema from this tradition and instead used lyrics as an integral part or component in moving the story. No one could walk out during the song in a KB movie as they may miss an important aspect of the plot! Another Balachander (Sundaram Balachander) had already shown us in 1954 that a plot specific movie with no song and dance diversions can be made in Tamil. That movie was Antha Naal, considered even today as a directorial masterpiece. But it was KB who took Tamil Cinema to its greatest heights.
It is therefore, always surprising for me to note that films produced by KB (as against those directed by him) are made with the commercial eye! Kuselan, the recently released Super Starrer is no exception.
Predictably, the theme of Kuselan is Friendship, and P Vasu presents it with elan. We must appreciate Rajanikanth for his willingness to accept P Vasu's treatment. So much so that he does not apear on screen for nearly a quarter of the film! Not having the usual entry song is an obvious example. But the "Cinema!Cinema! song would compensate hardcore Rajani fans.
Pasupathy as Balu the barber is the main protagonist of the story. But Rajani permeates every frame in thought, word or reference! He is ever present in the minds and dreams of almost everybody in the little village of Maraiyur. Even the most cynical want to meet him!
Yes, the first half of the movie drags. The comedy track, though good does not gel with the sentimental refrain of the main track. The movie must not have cost much, if we discount the flashy song sequences. The fact that these songs and item numbers are not dovetailed into the screenplay is a major negative in KB movie.
For example, there is a song where the heroine of the "movie" being shot in Maraiyur, is reported as missing . Thereafter, she is shown dancing in the rain in a well choreographed number with a group of children!
- How did she get to the waterfall?
- How did she get back?
- Why did she disappear?
- What is the signifcance of this scene to the story?
To ask these questions is not to understand the basic premise of Tamil Cinema which I explained in the begining of this post! Welcome to Tamil Cinema!
Having said this, we must acknowledge that Rajani's speech to the people of Maraiyur is histrionics at its best. Even hardened cynics would have blinked away a tear or two during this performance!
Yet, Kuselan makes a valid point that friendship is a pure relationship that transcends wealth, position and personalities! It is sharing and a caring!
Let's celebrate Friendship Day (3rd August) with Kuselan!
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Murudeeshwar