Sunday, January 23, 2011

Service, Feedback, Drive, Reading, Shared value.

POST 191

Today, I had officials from a nationalised bank visiting our Apatment complex for a campaign to offer their banking services. How much things have moved over the past 15 years.!!! When you visited these banks, the delay, lethargicity were very notorious in those times. I think competetion drives people to improve and sustain excellence. The officers were professional, courteous. I am thinking of working out some transactions which could be mutually beneficial to us.  

I also realised the importance of feedback and how it is like breathing. I was in one of the non work related meetings. There were issues when raised the issue took a personal turn. I was quick to point out to people that if they have issues with any one (Me Included), they need to give feedback on those issues immediately, rather than bottling it and bursting out. It needs to involve, 1)the behaviour, 2)the effect and consequence and 3)what can be done differently. All it is needs is to work that way and it doesnt get personal. It is such a simple thing like breathing and feedback should become a natural process.

Yesterday, the Bangalore Bandh due to the political tug of war between Governor and the Government took it's toll on the normal activities. School exam postponed, traffic came to standstill. Our maid was literally chased away by baton charging police and some how she managed to escape the beating. Gandhi's way of civil disobidience was ok in a ag based, rural India where impact on issues were less and ofcourse, British were very sensitive to issues and treat the opponent with dignity. Moreover, the courts have termed bandh illegal. Wonder what is being done to put that in to action thro legislation etc. I would assume nothing. All issues are forgotten here in medium/ long term as new urgent issues crop up.


I am going thro Dan Pink book, "DRIVE". This book is one of the life turning book for me. It talks about Intrinsic motivation. Type I and how rewards alone wont bring the change we want. It describes in Detail the Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose that are essential to internal drive. The 4 enablers---> Time, task, Team and technique to be explored. I am glad I could get a chance. This will help me a lot.

Another article, that captured my imagination was the Corporate way forward on Creating shared value by Porter/ Kramer. This gives the practical approach to address social issues and from an outiside perview of CSR. But the pity is that in a compliance driven environment and to meet numbers, I wonder, how many would take this giant leap to see a big picture to act like Leaders?????.....


The article on reading is basic to democracy touched me a lot. The present generation seems to have lost this art for whatever, reasons. I recollect grabing books, magazines like food and go thro and parents encouraged me a lot. That helped as I grow so as to pick an IPAD only for reading at ease.


At the homefront, last week we completed our 20th Wedding anniversary on 18th Jan. It was mostly smooth success all the way. I would attribute the success we had so far to empowering my wife to do anything she feels is right and I stand by her decision. On her side, she was very very generous and magnanimous to see large picture, long term and let issues go. It is all down to give and take. 

The other news is my daughter passed out the CA articleship entrance exam with a score of 125/ 200. What was intersting was the day she finished the exam and came home, she said she will get 125 and it was. What an amazing self confidence and judgement. Children of this generation are excellent in self analysis and do what they think very well.


Untill, next week, take it easy and take care; Live consciously.
Regards

Karthik.





Sunday, January 16, 2011

School contact, roads,

POST 190

Wishing the folks a Happy and prosperous 2011. Better late than never. I was tied up with Personal travel and beginning of year tasks etc. Sundays kind of went in chasing and getting things done like car repair etc. By the time I write this, we are in to the middle of the Harvest festival Pongal, the festival of thanks giving to the Sun god, the Farmer.

I was in for a pleasant surprise when some of my school mates from Karaikudi got in touch with me. It has been 31 years (1980) since I passed out of Algappa Model Higher secondary school. I had given up hope of getting in touch with them as people had moved and my visits to Karaikudi to meet parents was kind of once a year for a day or less with practically no time to make contacts in person. Yes, it helps to have your profile in the social media like google profile, Linkedin, Facebook etc as people who do a search can ferret you out and make contact. This should now help us to find most of our school mates if not all. Feeling very good about it.

We make our annual visit to our family temple at Karisulnthamangalam PIN 627453 (KS Mangalam or Karisuzhntha Mangalam) in Thirunelveli district of TN. It is 5 km from famouse Pathamadai town. Last year we made it on 31st December and achieved the target of a visit every calendar year. One thing that impress me is the small towns are developing and standard of living are improving. For the first time, the temple priest indicated that he would like to wear a T-SHIRT(!) and we picked a couple of them for him. Unheard, 20 years back and also all the bank fund electronic transfer at the most rural of locations. Yes, Tech is changing lives.

We had the road in front of our Apartment, Renaissance PARK 3, (First main road, Malleswaram West) which was in worst condition redone after a year with lot of followup. The road was formally inaugurated by the Local MLA, Dr Ashwathnarayan, this week. This has given a rood drivable road, but the traffic will go mad due to various diversion putting children etc at risk.





Take it easy and take care; Live consciously.
Regards
Karthik.