Leadership and Character

Life, and business, comes with good times and bad times. Anyone would sound great in good times. Only a strong character takes you through tough times gracefully. Leadership is as much behavioural as much as it is character.

A case for inclusive growth

India has been basking in the glory of new found riches of new generation Indian entrepreneurs and professionals.

What should have been a matter of national pride has unfortunately been only a privilege of a few. This privilege sometimes finds expression bordering on unabashed arrogance as exemplified in "cattle class" remarks of the "elite".

For a nation professing democratic, socialistic ideologies and inspired by simple living style of Gandhiji, we need more than a lopsided growth. Trickle down effect has not yet reached the common man. If you are not convinced, take an open ticket and travel in unreserved compartment in any of India. You will get to see the face of India that you do not want to see. Hard to describe, hard to believe but yes, that is a hard fact.

Concern for common man is expressed as a ritual during the times of National celebrations but soon forgotten. We have almost ignored that the true strength of India lies still in our villages. Our true strength is the silent, tolerant, simple common man of India.

I would have been happier to read from Indian media But I am glad to see this is reported somewhere at least. Fortunately, drive for inclusive growth seems to be slowly gathering momentum, off late.

Well, I am not against technology, I am not against growth but I am for is inclusive a growth... A social relation which is truly win-win for all stakeholders. I believe, only such growth is sustainable in the long run


I do not want my house to be walled in on sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any

Gandhiji

Character, Integrity and Reputation

I came across an interesting write up on the subject. This was pointed to me by one of my friends in facebook

I like the analogy. Taking it further, I would say that integrity is part of character. Character is part of being oneself, being true to yourself to the people around you, and to the world at large. Reputation and respect are fruits of the tree, that is yourself. Character is the seed that grow into making you.

Character determines your behavior. Behavior and performance earns you reputation respect. Interestingly, visibility is in the reverse order. Reputation and respect is the most visible properties of the lot. Character is only visible who cares to see, and it takes time to understand. Character is the true strength, and it is internal; not an item for demonstration. It makes itself visible in a subtle manner through behavior

Well, what it takes to have character? I believe, it is partly nature and partly nurture; nurtured by experience with parents, friends, ..

Back from yet another pilgrimage to Sabarimala

I am just back from yet another pilgrimage to Sabarimala.

I have been going there almost every year since 1992 so far. Every trip has been an experience in itself; a humbling and learning experience. Learning about work and life. It helps me to resolve conflict of theory and practice, maintaining ideological balance in the midst of diverse pulls of daily living.

Every devotee calls each other Swami (master) or Ayyappa (God himself). The spirit is to see God in every one and every where. All of us are unique in how how we feel, how we perceive and how we think. But, we are not in competition with each other. One does not need to perish for another to survive. Success of human race is not based on competition within the race but rather with collaboration of human efforts.

Journey is pleasure or pain, just as life is, depending on how you take it. Problem as big and formidable as mountain is crossed with self belief. Faced with problems, we often get overwhelmed by that with hardly any time to look around.

When we look around, we see that there are many who are even less privileged that we are, going about it easily. Difference between problem or pleasure is only a perspective. What is perceived turns out to pleasure when you learn to enjoy it. Choice is with all of us to curse, lament, keep moving or enjoy every moment.

You also realize that what you are seeking for (call it God, happiness, power ...) is not external. It is within you, yourself. That Tvam Asi which translates to read 'That are Thou'. It is belief in the self that takes you to heights irrespective of challenges ahead.

It also reinforces the power of now. Irrespective of your background, you are in the time now. Past may have been hauntingly attractive or future may be enticingly bright. You can reach out to the future only through the time now.

Focus on goal, working towards goals undeterred by hurdles moving forward as a team, respecting and helping one another, irrespective of power, position, money or education, are a few of the lessons that the pilgrimage

Do we discriminate against Indian in India?

We cry foul when an Indian face discrimination in another country; issues that Indian students had to face in Australia being most recent of them as I can recall.

I did not face any kind of discrimination or animosity specifically against me as a person in the countries that I had been to. My experience, may be limited but I believe is indicative, is that they expect us to respect their personal space and culture. That is only natural.

But I am alarmed when we discriminate against Indian in India.

I wish this is only an aberration, or are we compromising on fundamentals blinded by money?

Employees don't change the company, they change their Boss

Following are my thoughts on question “Employees don't change the company, they change their Boss.?” in in Linkedin

Job shift is a personal decision influenced by curious combination of background, personal needs, skill sets, aspirations, and environment. Environment includes the organization, boss and team. Attributing to just one of the factors is too narrow perspective.

My view and experience is: Organization stands by (and should) its vision, culture, values and goals. Individual stands by (and should) its vision, culture, value and goals. That is fair as well, as these are not matter of convenience but rather goes into the core of being. After all, I think, most (if not all) of us have been in both the roles, right?

I have not seen bad people but I have seen them appearing bad due to circumstances.

What goes wrong is getting a honest communication taking place. If it does, know for sure that you are on a slippery ground.

Time is now

I had expressed concern on collapse of belief systems of yesterday and emphasized need for new ones for tomorrow.

Ardent devotees of respective ideologies may not fully agree with me and would rather try to conjure up the same old wine in a new bottle. Many lives are built on these ideologies and shattered by the same edifice. I am seeking a scientific analysis

Laws of science are expressed with assumptions on validity. Laws of science are continually re-validated based on current observations and assumptions are revised, as happened with newtonian challenged in the context of quantum physics.

I am glad that Debate is on. I am no economist to comment on. But, I hope scientific spirit will prevail because human lives, and heart, are involved, because I am one of them concerned about every one of them; a compassionate human, because world is my family (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam)

Killing me softly...

Health care is social service or a business opportunity?

I believe it is both. It used to be more of the former; now, it is getting to be more of the latter.

I fail to understand why it should be one at the cost of the other. It is naive to expect individual practitioners, business houses or industry at large to work purely on altruistic notion. But when it is translated into life as service restricted to a social segment, it raises fundamental questions to a society built on democratic, socialistic principles.



Question is are these principles are ideals that we revert to at our convenience, or guiding principles? Is it too early for a social equilibrium? or we lack political will? or it is a convenient social hypocracy?

Gandhi's talisman

"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by it? Will it restore him [her] to a control over his [her] own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions?
Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."

- One of the last notes left behind by Gandhi in 1948, expressing his deepest social thought.

Happiness

Discover the child in you to discover happiness

Happy Independence Day!

Yet another Independence Day has come.

Independence Day is a birthday for our nation. Independence Day is a celebration time. This is one of the few occasions we pause to ponder.

60 plus is old for a man but young for nation. As a young nation, when we retrospect there is a lot to be proud of. We have come a long way in science, technology, agriculture, economy, etc. When we grow, and leaving our brethren far behind, is it a growth that we desire? For what good is growth, when my neighbor is starving? Is it morally right? Is it socially sustainable growth?

Tactics are made from short term perspective, strategies are made from long term perspective. Values are hallmark of character, whether it is an individual or a nation. Values help us in decision making; be strategic or tactical. Values need to be evaluated from assessed with logical reasoning, internalized and consolidated. As the world looks up to Gandhi, is it not time now to return to our fundamental values that our father of nation advocated; not just for independence day, republic day and Gandhi Jayanti;

Or do we need to wait till the west teaches how to?

Democracy must in essence, therefore, mean the art and science of mobilising the entire physical, economic and spiritual resources of all the various sections of the people in the service of the common good of all.
-- Mahatma Gandhi

Anti-patterns of disaster management

Initial signs of impending crisis, denial of indications, debates in media, onset of crisis, media hype and official denials, knee jerk reactions and downplaying the extent of crisis, acceptance of crisis into mainstream and living with crisis. This have been patterns of disaster management in India for long; be it terrorism, recession, monsoon or now swine flu in recent times. So called preventive measures have only helped to give hardship to people, in the name of protection.

Otherwise, why has swine flu spread to India, with all these preventive measures. Unlike US which was caught unawares, we had sufficient time to gear up. If those measures were not enough, why did we put people through the hardship? Not to talk about isolation that many were put through. This is not the first time a pandemic has reached us from abroad.

I am glad that I live in a democracy. Democracy is a socio-political system, responsive to concerns of its citizens. When democracy is not able to protect its citizens for whom it stands, it is time to ask fundamental questions.

It is not about the party in power. Story is the same, irrespective of party in the power. I would not like to blame a political party or group. I believe, issue is more fundamental. In democracy, we choose the government and get the government that we deserve. I believe, Indian democracy has stood the test of time and come to stay.

B believe, issue has more to do with a generally laid back attitude. Attitude of expecting good things happen. Attitude of accepting rubbish, be it from government, media, or any other source for that matter. Attitude that it does not hurts till it hits me (when it hits me, then, I am all alone).

I would love live in India that care for its people and its people caring for one another, rather than an India that is policing around as a superpower for its own sake. We need comprehensive, sustained action rather than knee jerk reactions

Bane of demigods!

Strange to see that Indian cricketers has refused to abide by norms of World Anti-Doping Agency Code, stating security and privacy concerns. By no means, these are not concerns applicable to Indian cricketers alone.

Unfortunately, cricket and cricketers have become so popular. Sentiments are similar to a nation in war with another. Nothing short of clean victory is acceptable, because national sentiments are involved. Worse, this is unabashedly encouraged by both print and electronic media so much greater achievement like woman to rowing solo across the Indian Ocean hardly finds a mention.

Indian cricketers have given iconic status here in India. There is a cost of being a popular figure as well. While one enjoys benefits of being popular figure, having to pay the cost is only natural. You cannot take one and leave the other. They should either fall in line or else if privacy and security concerns are so height, they could quit playing cricket for India and IPL, which makes them popular.

It is time they start behaving like an Indian who are with other Indians in the first place; not the ones to be revered and pampered

Insurance to cover a risk, or a risk in itself?

Reading "Health Care Realities" reminded me of my own personal experience with an insurance company.

I had taken insurance cover for my car earlier, from a private owned insurance company, on the promise of "quality" service. I kept renewing insurance for a couple of years, no incidents.

After a couple of years, vehicle had two accidents and I had to make claim twice. Not any significant amount, by the way. To be fair to the insurer, I must say that money was paid and paid on time.

Generally, call for insurance renewal starts a month before the period expires, Surprisingly, neither that company, nor any other private insurance companies, were available for renewing my insurance. I went back to good old Government owned insurance company. Year or two passed without any incidents and then, I sold the car and bought a new one a couple of years back. Now the same old private owned insurance company is behind me to take insurance from them, and I have no motivation to go back to them or any other private insurance company, no matter what "quality" service they offer.

By extension, I have learned to trust good old Government owned banking and financial institutions with my hard earned money. That is when I started respecting the balancing act of Nehruvian mixed economy.

Back again!

It has been about a month since I blogged last. A lot has happened on personal and professional front, and has been very hectic.

I am getting into a new interesting assignment on building a new software platform where much of what I had been working with all along (like Knowledge engineering, Device computing, Open Standards, Quality standards, Artificial Intelligence, Software
Engineering etc) converges.

I shall be mum on that being extremely sensitive and business critical. But I shall be back on other topics as usual

A sigh of relief

Yesterday, With result declared for class XII by CBSE, marks completion of schooling for my elder daughter, and I am glad that she has performed reasonably well.

I had kept myself and my family away from the typical rat race, including studies of my kids. I have asked for only justifiable effort and reasonable performance.

I am pretty happy with her performance in XII. Our life have been through a tough period for the last few years, and this performance is despite that.

This would not have been possible without help and prayers from many. In particular, Words are not enough to describe support extended by the management and teachers of the school Chettinad Vidyashram. They have focused on allround development of the student, not just academic marks. True to the spirit, they stood by us through the tough times guiding, mentoring and motivating the child

Long live Indian Democracy!

In what is arguably the biggest democratic event in the world, people of India has decided in favour of continuance of policies of current governance.

Generally, anti-incumbency factors works against the ruling party/alliance. However, results of general elections 2009 have favoured continuance, and outrightly favoring positive image of growth and development, rather than negative notions of religious fanatism, self indulgence and self pity. This, in itself, is a strong and clear message to the country's political class.
This is the first time since 1957 of Nehruvian times of nationalist euphoria that the same leadership who ruled full term is being re-elected. Those were times of national heroism and euphoria, and very early days of Indian democracy. Credible alternatives had not yet to emerged challenge congress party leadership, most popular leadership behind Indian independence struggle.

Especially at a time when the world is reeling under unprecedented, for independent India, economic recession, stability and continuity is of paramount importance and people of India, often called gullible masses, have favored the same. Consideration for national governance change with time and context, and Indian populace has shown consistent maturity to respond to the call time and again.

Time now requires professional governance and administration. Government headed the economist Dr. Manmohan singh would continue now. Dr. Manmohan singh happens to be a professional, rather than a politician, to head the country. Politician is typically overloaded with the task of party administration and biased by political and ideological perspective. Professional, in contrast, is characterized by scientific knowledge and analytical decision making. While both has its merits and demerits, time now calls for professionalism in politics and governance moving away corruption and votebank politics, and that is what people of India had decided for.

Center-right and center-left forces are not eliminated but only marginalized for now, and that is important balancing force. It is not a brute majority or a unilateral victory as the winners would like to present it as. Fact is, people of India have considered and weighed myriad of current issues, and sent a decisive signal for now

While it indicates largely return to government for Congress party, and rejection of communist parties in their bastions Kerala and West Bengal, it is significant in that ruling party of the state cutting across political spectrum is elected to massive victory for in Delhi, Gujarat, Orissa and Bihar. This rules out typical considerations of anti-incumbency factor, religious fanatism, factionalism, etc.

Key differentiator in each of them appears to be image of development oriented governance; be it political combination of local governance or opposition promising change. This clear mandate for growth and development in laudable where leftist trends seem to be raising its held in many traditionally capitalist parts on the world

Humpty dumpty had a great fall!

Experience is a great teacher though the cost is high. Hence make sense to learn from failures of others. An interesting perspective on anti-patterns in business

Yet another election coming to a closure

A great democratic event is coming to a closure, with Indian general election results due for tomorrow. Kudos to the visionaries behind making India a vibrant democracy! Hats off to those who made this possible through decades!!

A great achievement in itself considering the odds! Human life is lost in ruthless violence around the world in the name of power, politics and religion; a deadly combination in itself

Waiting for the results, and looking ahead to changing times, Rabindranath Tagore's words in Gitanjali are resonating in my mind:

Where the mind is without fear and the head held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by Thee into ever-widening thought and action;
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Time for leadership and action

Systemic failure of global socio-economic system is exposed through the current economic crisis. That dogmas and theories get questioned during crisis and get revised in the new context is quite natural.

Democratically elected governments are duty bound to appropriately act upon crisis, and protect the interests of its citizen. Hope to see the largest and the oldest democracies of the world leave behind ideological baggages of the past and work together towards this goal, and get done with it fast

Condoling death of communism and capitalism!

I am no economist! But I am fascinated by rise and fall of two major economic paradigms in less than 100 years. 100 years is indeed a long time when we see our life span but much shorter to assess validity of any theory that influence human mind, living and society at large!

Simplicity of communist ideals was appealing to young me, having born in the state of Kerala. But through my teens, I realized the folly as I started seeing the gap between theory and practice. Followers of the philosopher who argued against religion ended up creating a new religion. What was meant to an equalizer, ended up created a new hierarchy. Well, the more it changes, the more it remains the same! Soon, the world witnessed collapse of the biggest communist empire, once a dream of the downtrodden!

Notion of natural balance of free market was then appealing as it offered possibility of equality through freedom. While technology is striving to be an equalizer connecting the world, former advocates of free market seems to be sulking by raising newer barriers! Swings of free market, between bullish run or bearish slump, ends up cornering wealth of the world in the hands of a few... and what is worse, from patterns of the free market swings, it seems to be more of a design than accident! Is the free market truly free, or just a good old ideal?

As a common man, what I am concerned is not so much effectiveness of economic paradigms but rather their appeal. It seems to me that the world needs a hope, a new theory, a new promise, to rally around albeit for a short while