Tag: empowered thinking

SOS(Self Obsessed Societies)!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

OK folks, here’s the thing, like each one of you who read and engage with me here, I too am part of an ecosystem that reaches out to the sensible part of the knowledge and information ecosystem from time to time. partly to keep sharpening my observations and knowing how rapidly we are either correcting some aspects or further damaging ourselves- individually or collectively! This piece is a crisp one that deals with it!

There was a time (yes hard to believe!), but it surely was- when you could actually start a conversation with a perfect stranger without having to try to get the name first- do a lookup on a social account (to gauge likes and dislikes) and then strike a conversation! The conversations themselves could be around a wide array of topics- at times they could be nominal takes on the current socio-politico-economic opportunities or challenges of a region, nation or the world- depending on the cumulative IQ of the participants in the discussion. When levels of intelligence allowed the discussions could easily be around religion, politics, philosophy or even taking on one of the most challenging topics- Does God Exist! Well that is how it was- whether your were with people that you know or don’t information sharing and knowledge gathering always happened subtly and in the most uncertain ways- but the biggest part of this was- It was an ongoing process and it had a pace of its own- it allowed the participants to choose how deep they would want to venture into a subjects and they could leave the moment when they thought- That’s it– beyond this I do not want to go ahead (for whatever the reasons might have been).This mechanism allowed intelligence to flourish and develop in ways which were most suitable and conducive to an individual- because the probing mind- had made its choices of what is that it wants to seek and where it should move ahead next! So you see there was an ongoing latent effort taking an individuals journey in the direction of evolving likes ( you can rename this as passion, interest, vocation, professional aspirations so and so forth!)

The dawn of the e-age brought with it some great opportunities and advantages- absolutely no doubt around that- but like everything else it also has brought with it- the lesser good- which has created more hollow and pseudo portraits of human abilities then what they would have been really able of sans the space provided for going on with Self-obsessed behavior over social sites! In the beginning all this seemed cute and innocent- until the medical world began to wake up and come up with specific disorder names along with a complete medical drill right from defining the symptoms to the diagnosis and the post diagnosis control- as they would have for any routine ailment!

Get on your any of your favorite social sites (whether these are the ones you use to upload your snaps- or engage with professionals (so- called at times) or you want to pen a few lines and share an update about things happening around- as you go through the pile of social information floating around (most of which is unsegregated intellectual garbage), you will come across a common trend- The need and desire to be heard- something that each one of them is trying to tell about themselves (whether it is a snap, an award, a paragraph- most of this and much of the time- this is something that they want to badly speak about and that too, “speak to anyone” (half of the time they don’t even care if this will be relevant to the people who will possibly glance through this!) This is the crux of the matter and this is what is a true reflection of our times- societies (individuals who are part of this societal framework) that are too busy and too overworked seeking confirmation and approval from everyone and anyone around to everything that they do and say! This behavior crawls up further and starts to play mind games which leads to sub-fragmentation of societies- at times this can be seen as multiple trade bodies for a same region, at times these can be seen as multiple trade unions, multiple courses offering the same syllabus- multiple designations for doing the same piece of work- multiple awards saying the same things again and again with equal amount of ambiguity each time!- you name it and you have it out there!

Well, so what’s happening here?– to put it simply people are just lost- lost for not knowing what is to be used for what- which medium is for what purpose- lost because either they have too much on their plate or too little- lost because they are not been heard to and also lost because they have a voice and no one seems to understand that voice! All this further manifests (most of the times in sensible efforts and initiatives that go on to make peace with inner voices and implemented actions) but in some cases these take a dramatic weird turn and often result into nothing but a colossal waste of time considering that we all have limited time at our disposal – irrespective whether we agree to that fact or not! So what’s the way out of this nonsense?

Well, to begin with, take a pause every time you are tempted to put up that award pic, that snap on the social handle- The fact remains- those who know and care for you- always know what you are dealing with and what’s happening with you even at this moment- and for the rest- they anyways don’t give a damn- so why bother?! Be wise to know how much of “I”, “We” and “Our” does your outreach carry rather then “For Us”, “For everyone”, “For society”, “For nation”, “For the world”. Remember this whether you like it or not – social spaces- whether they be print or online are meant to impact and effect change for the larger good of humankind at all levels – some areas it build momentum rapidly over the others- Your private space is not the world’s problem- you have a great life- be tankful and help the less fortunate- your life is screwed up- well see what best you can do with it and leave it at that! Blowing your trumpet and over-glorification and public sulking either ways doesn’t help anyone nor yourself in the least!

The only way to stop this menace of SOS behaviour is to ensure that individually we take actions that are wise and sane, take a pause before your upload your next picture, next video or next write up and think- “Is this for you or for the world to know- does it help the world around you?”- This is the only differentiating criteria to either go ahead with that upload or stop right there!

I leave you here for now and we will catch up soon with another piece! Ciao for now! Stay wise and stay blessed as always!

When Capitalism turns fatal!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

To begin with, I am not an anti-capitalist, certainly not until it is used in a good and wise measure; something like salt is used for seasoning our food! Of course yes, you know what happens when we have excess of salt in our food, don’t you! For that matter excesses of anything aren’t really good most of the times! This piece is to help us take a pause and ponder if we have actually breached that tipping point and gone past a point of no return wherein- societal compulsions are driving societies towards the edge of a cliff form where no one gets back!

Let’s step back into the last three centuries; the beginning of the 1700s is where we start; As rapid advancements and breakthroughs occurred in science and technology around the new world (Europe and US), coupled with ample resources at disposal- it was a few good people who took an initiative to lead and channelize this massive energy of human ingenuity through setting up large factories and these bygone temples of modernization – on whose foundation the world of today stands! It is the story of these geniuses and their tenacity to create a better world in terms of amenities/ products/ innovations and ease of living for everyone around with a focus to make things affordable as much as possible in the earlier flourish that brought about a promise of good times for the subsequent decades. Certainly there were spikes here and there; accidents, mishaps, health emergencies, natural calamities- all of that was there;however society prevailed and overcame each time with more resilience and grit to ensure that past mistakes aren’t repeated and the the focus on the future is not lost!

As long as these doyens of yesteryear’s, kept the focus on churning out gadgets, products that served society and at the same time uplifted the standard of living of all stake holders in a manner that was equatable to the contribution made- everything seemed fine and the new world was on a roll. Even incidents like World War I and II did only dampen the momentum for a decade or so around the war times- but soon systems bounced back and kicked in with greater vigor to wash away the additional negative burden that the wars caused with bring in more creativity and innovation to make lives even more better! So what changed at the beginning of the 21st century, where did we go wrong?

Things started to slide when ingenuity, larger interest to serve the communities lessened and was replaced by a personal greed race coupled with the insatiable ability to manipulate political power and policy. This I believe is the foundation on which all modern day corporate malice is based upon! I don’t want to sound judgmental here and leave it to readers wisdom and discretion to decide when an act of greed was OK and when it was Not OK- but the point here is quite simple- every time when you have a blend of business power tagging along and manipulating the political power through impacting policy in the interests of the business owner rather then in the interest of the community or society- the ancient equilibrium is broken and this imbalance starts to manifest all around us in one way or the other and things then head for time bound decay!

Let me simplify this for you, remember that old steel plant in your neighborhood that came up, how it provided everything from a school, to a medics to an entertainment centre- shopping arena and life was good in general. Then one day you start learning- about new machines which can perform more then what the workers could and over the next few years you learn how- there is a new steel manufacturer somewhere else who has been able to offer better quality and price to the government and how this plant can no longer compete and has to either be sold off to this competitor or has to go bust! Well when you read in between the lines- it is something that is happening right in front of you- within your blind spot – that you have missed picking up! If the business did make money- how much did they invest back into the society- how often and in what proportion to the gains made! Well, certainly I am not suggesting a structure where all profits must be given back into the society- but the keyword here is equatable sharing of the profit- in line with the effort table- when this goes amiss- something is wrong and that thing- can be anything- ranging from tough political alignments of the owner to just a sudden collapse of being able to manage a business that had started off as a family owned set up which just outgrew and simply couldn’t be managed anymore!

In the modern day context, we have ample examples- just take a pause and look around- you will find these mushrooming companies that get launched day in and day out- seldom most of them make it beyond the third year andif they do by the time they enter the fifth year- they are bought out- either by choice or by tact- so what’s happening- who is controlling- well get a little closer- earlier when jobs were created- the jobs had meaning – well a welder was a welder and a Shop floor Supervisor was a “Shop floor Supervisor”- now in a era where everyone is a MBA and everyone is a Manager- guess what there is hardly anyone or anything to manage- most of the jobs are typically clerical and routine cloaked in the garb of business designations and labels that do nothing more then giving a steroidal boost to your ever hungry ego- so when the going gets tough for the business (read discord between big players/ politicians/ bankers/ investors- gain read here global market manipulators) your business card doesn’t stand a chance- for the simple reason- that actually you were not doing anything! A simple test that I often ask my clients when I coach them (especially when they are all fired up about their visiting card- “Is what you do unique to who you ate- or can that be done by anyone having an equal qualification and or experience?” if you have answered “Yes” well it’s time you get priorities of your life realigned for the next set of lottery tickets which help people move out may well have your name on it!

So what’s the point here- Well the point is simple and there for you to observe and experience- Once capitalism and businesses begin to sub-serve their stakeholders in context of the efforts put in by stakeholders; this is the first signal that greed has overtaken and based on where this hoarded profit is been pushed (whether to placate the political systems or to hoard family wealth) the systemic collapse will start to take effect eventually from thereon! So what can you and I do about it? – Well nothing- not unless we have the power and authority tom ensure rules and regulations are made to manage this loophole– until then the only sensible thing we can do is Be Honest- with yourself- Know your real worth- in terms of the money that you make- the designation that you have and the unity of command and span of control that your enjoy! It is never too late to say NO to an offer which provides you a designation which does not make sense and offers you money that doesn’t justify your effort! It starts from this point and when empowered and awakened individuals rise with they can propagate these values which can also help repair systems from within!

I leave you here, grab your drink and take a pause- know where you stand on this horizon where businesses and the world meet and impact your next sunrise!

Entrapped to confirm!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

Well, my last two pieces were slightly covering a different area, part rational, part philosophical; I thought let’s get back to our good old corporate world riddled with slavery, nepotism and showcasing and touch upon yet another interesting nerve that runs deep within organisations, teams and individuals and it really doesn’t matter whether you are working for an organisation which has 5 people or has 5000 people- at some or the other time you would have too experienced this space of being “entrapped to confirm” at times this being pleasant and sometime being the only reason for you too move out and ahead of the system!

Often we walk into or find ourselves part of situations where we are supposed to act- behave- orient ourselves in a particular manner- well nothing wrong with it- considering that If you are at a Red signal and driving- you would be expected to stop and you should and you indeed do (most of the times). However the challenges start when this behaviour is extrapolated and expected in the most unusual situations and circumstances where you would actually end up behaving in a very different manner (than what your intrinsic common-sense beacon would be asking you to do!)

Let me jog your memory a bit- remember the last time when you were part of that Tuesday/ Friday team meeting discussing sales targets (remaining to be achieved) and your reason for the delays in getting that revenue seemed all too same- and your boss said, “give me some other reason- if you cannot work- at least be creative at that!) and of course yes, you would have done that- shared another reason ; all this because your boss wanted to share that different reason possibly with his boss (because that is what he would have said at some or the other time!) When you sit back and think around this- irrespective of what reason was sold – there is no change in reality for when the sales revenue will come in- whether you had continued with the same reason or given this new made-up version- the money was always going to come in when it was supposed to come- heart in heart- you and your Boss always know that! This is what I call the Sales Brotherhood- and at some or the other time all of us have to be baptized through this! It teaches a few things for sure- like becoming creative with reasons – as long as you don’t begin to use this non-productive creative part to procrastinate your work- all this seems cute, innocent and fun part of a mundane stressful existence!

Let’s quickly pan across to another scenario- Remember your last flight? well the most recent one- before airlines tarted to pull the plug off because of the dreaded little Corona virus! If you have been able to steal a few minutes off your mobile device and pay attention to the screaming and yelling of the crew at the gate requesting all passengers from Zone 1 to come to the gate and you suddenly notice almost the entire waiting area has got up and like all 200 passengers are going to sit across those first 30 seats- well yes- this is something that every flight that you undertake– you will find this type of irrational behavior response over and over and over again! Given the passengers- who they are and why they are the way they are- well the airline crew at the gate also doesn’t seem to get few creative ideas to break this stalemate and they too keep on going on and on wit the same set of instructions which eventually result in same type of passenger behaviour! This is a completely non-productive, rather counter productive result when rules and guidelines are followed irrespective e of them being of no great value or use! Sure enough the airlines have a reason for having the boarding done Zone wise- the point here is “Entrapped confirmation” to follow the same process which yields poor result doesn’t allow them to think creatively beyond to overcome the problem of over-enthusiastic passengers- who at all times feel they are going to be left behind at the terminal!

Our brains are wired to naturally seek safety or at times thrill/ regressive enjoyment by following confirmations (whether good or bad) at times even if they put you in harms way- you may go ahead with (like jumping off a moving train or bus!). When it comes to the confines of the corporate world which is now (more whenever) dogged with and riddled with corporate minefields across levels and processes) it’s but natural to follow the rules without applying greater thought- the thought process is simple here” well this act or way of working never got anyone killed/ harmed- no one is complaining- there is nothing that makes it difficult for me- so why bother!” and of course, even If I were to suggest and implement something to help and make things better- Why should I?- what’s the benefit or Incentive in me for that?! More then anything else- It is this very thought process- which gets entrapped to an established “confirmation process and approach” that causes more harm and increases costs for organisations to provide services and goods to customers in the long run which goes on to do impact customers and businesses in a cycle that just seems to have a mind of its own!

So now, you may start to ask- what can be done around this- well, given the limitation of a blog- I certainly can’t elaborate strategies and intervention mechanisms that can be deployed. However what can be done is take a simple step towards “Individual Empowerment”. Organisations need to understand that, whether they touch the customer through service or goods- it is the connect and the last person standing representing them in-front of the customer who matters more then the CEO! It is this person who is going to make that all important sale click or have that deal signed off and for that person to able able to do that with a flair of confidence and charm that is available at individual disposal; the individual must be free from”entrapment to confirm”. The rules have to be simple to follow and difficult to be broken- the fewer the better! Case in point- if the airline crew at the gate announce the boarding citing seat numbers 1- 30 rather then Zone 1 the impact will be dramatic- because for a passenger who travels less often- Zone 1 is alien, but seat number is kind of printed on the mind!

I leave you here, and hope you have a blessed meeting today or this Friday and are able to wriggle yourself out of the entrapment minefields laid out for you- inn a way that helps you and the services that your represent- by empowering yourself and bringing your individuality to the forefront!

Do keep writing in and do let me know what next you would like to read about! Reach me on parimal.aluri@simplifylives.com and learn more about our consulting and training solutions that are aimed to bring about empowerment in the true sense of the word! Ciao for now!

The simple truth about religion!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

Among the few eternal questions that humankind has been asking through recorded history; one of the most important one has been “What is religion?” and “Who has given it to whom?” Well before you begin to jump to conclusion- well no, I am certainly not claiming to be an authority- or providing you a definitive answer to all your religion driven pain- this is about sharing a few observations, thoughts – to the limitation of this being a blog (which I am sure many of you would have also experienced) and trying to make sense within the fog of uncertainty and ambiguity!

No matter which belief system you decide to choose and follow, the beginnings are all mysterious- with some answers being found- while others still shrouded in a cloak of the unexplained! Few belief systems have symbolism, while few do not have. Some believe in the practicing to the written down guidelines by the rule- yet others offer relaxation to ensure the that the belief system is amicable to the individual and is something that becomes a natural part of the self.

But the topic is not this, the question is what happens when we have a belief system or a religion? Well one way of looking towards it through human evolution through the eons- Religions or Belief systems- have over a period of time developed and evolved to ensure that the evolving human intellect is harnessed for the larger and greater good of the individual and the community around! As human beings made progress from being hunters, nomads and civilizations came into being (at times with large kingdoms and empires that stretched far and wide), belief systems set rituals, beliefs and practices that brought in a common thread to ensure a common identity of conformity. A conformity towards expected behaviors, values and ideologies!

As long as these laid down belief systems were practiced within the confines of the kingdoms and empires and left untouched virtually for long periods of time they have flourished and become richer in expression in the form of hymns, verses, texts, manuscripts, theological masterpieces and philosophical renderings. These have in many cases added value to the religious belief systems and in few cases- has added to regressive mentions which tried to confine communities into sub-divisions using one or the other aspects of the societal structures of those times!

Everything is fine till this point; however as societies became more permanent in nature and as instances of expansionist greed and hunger for power and control began sometimes through invasion of gypsy warriors and at times by planned expansion (which could have been for some forceful need to migrate from original lands- read fearing persecution) the fabric of faith and the followers of faith began to undergo a metamorphosis and a change that worked for and against each faith and belief system across the world!

The real challenge studying Human beings is that – As humans, we are perhaps the most logic driven yet one of the most irrational beings at the same time! I mean you will never see a wild animal attack it prey if its not hungry! You will never see any animal for that matter attack (unless it feel provoked and threatened or gets confused about Your intentions!) The reason for this logic and irrational paradox within our personalities resides and rides upon our higher evolved emotional attributes – read- pride, ego, jealousy and fear! Ignorance when added to any of these attributes casts a spell that only swells with time and ultimately blinds out all rational thinking and creates a mind which has its own thinking like a runaway carriage and goes on into a self-destruct mode- not ever realizing what it is unleashing in the ensuing journey and at what cost- whatever that is being pursued is being achieved!

Over eons as faiths evolved and belief systems evolved- they have not been handed down from one generation to the next- the way they should have- that is without any flavoring of what the previous generation though and how they adapted it to suit their needs of the bygone times! In certain cases this evolution of faith and belief systems has worked well- because it has simplified understanding and follower-ship in the present times. However in some cases additional layers of ambiguity and thoughts which create animosity and rift have got planted (which at some point in time in history would have been appropriate for safeguarding the follower-ship of a particular faith in a geographical region under prevailing political scenarios then) but as these did not get dropped off – they tend to raise their ugly heads and whip a deadly cocktail of justifying inhuman acts across the present times- which really serves no one- not the faith – neither the followers and certainly not Humanity in general!

So you may ask what is the way ahead? Well, as I said in the beginning I am not an authority, nor do I claim I have the power! but what I can share with you is a few simple and human things that we all can do to ensure we individually contribute to make our immediate neighborhoods better- and once we have done that- we have better communities, societies, nations and a better world!

Always remember as a cardinal principle-

1)Religion, Faith or a Belief system is a Private matter and always allow it to be that!

2)Respect other’s faith or belief systems, so that they respect your faith and leave it at that!

3) If all questions had the answers- they would have been already answered- if there are few questions that are yet unanswered- there must be a reason for that too- leave tings at that!

4) While choosing over the right thing to do or doing a thing the right way- always choose a path which serves the greater good of humanity- if even one human is harmed by any chord that is being touched under the garb of altering or furthering belief systems or faith- that is not the right path!

5) Finally always remember- all the authentic , ancient texts, manuscripts have always preached and cherished the feeling of togetherness through affection, love and fostering humanity as the greatest service to the supreme power that you believe through the Belief system of faith that you choose and there is no second to this principle- Hold this belief and approach ahead- you will find the world is a better place than what some make it to be by telling you what suits them!

It is perhaps the greatest and the most simplest truth of life- that in the metered seconds of life that each one of us has- if we spend bickering and wasting about tings that really don’t matter – What is that we have achieved and What is the story and legacy that we want to leave behind? Think about this when you have your next coffee! Trust me on one thing- If you follow a belief system or a faith- and you do believe in something- it really doesn’t serve your Supreme Lord- when you go about discussing, fighting, bickering about things that really don’t count! If you are indeed spiritual or someone who holds a belief system dearly- all actions must align to take you closer and further towards that celestial journey- This is what all texts and manuscripts across all faiths and belief systems speak about in one voice! The Greatest service to the Supreme Power is serving Humanity!

I leave you with these sublime thoughts for the week ahead, stay clam, stay wise and remember to always act in a way that makes your presence equally celebrated as is your faith- no matter what faith that you have chosen to follow! Stay Blessed!

Minding your mind!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

We all live in times where distractions, interruptions and chaos play around us all the time and it is in these daunting spaces we are supposed to carry out our daily lives- well when it’s you private time, you can still choose what to do and where to be and how much shit of the world you ate wanting to accommodate; but the irony of life as it happens to be is that a lot of this unsolicited shit and clutter hits us when we are majorly trying to navigate through our professional spaces- irrespective whether you are a corporate chained performer or a self-driven (motivated or unmotivated) survivor, this is a reality that we all face- day in and day out! This piece of trying to make some sense of the nonsense around us!

What does your normal day look like? hectic, fast paced, slow, relaxing, chaotic, in-control…well you can go on with tons of adjectives to define how you feel, how your energy levels are and what your rhythm for the day is or will be- all in all it boils down to this- “Feeling – Thinking” axis within your brain and that’s where all the glory and misery of the world resides!

The human brain, by far the most complex piece of bio-engineering with a cocktail of chemicals that are all interlinked smartly just to ensure one thing- That you survive and don’t end up killing yourself doing stupid things! Our evolution has been gradual and so have our organs evolved to deal with ever increasing incremental complexities every few thousand odd years!. The magic word here is “incremental“. Consider a case in point, if you had a magic switch and took your tales iPhone and visited your ancestor say 4000 years ago or even say- 300 years ago- what do you think would happen?- well of course “nothing” because there would be no available reference cognition of what that weird thing is and what should be done with it! As you decide to return back to our present time, your old ancestor hands you a piece of bone which has rough edges and has a fine needle tip – so what do you make of it? Is it a needle or a knife? or is it an old chopstick? Well this is where your mind will be blanked out- because no matter how hard you try to understand- since you have not used the object- you too do not have a ready reference to utility and can just go on doing some second guessing unless your ancestor demonstrates! So what’s the point here? Well, very simple- Your brain will perform optimally only when it has clarity of context- and this clarity of context in whatever we choose to do is the essence of being mindful and learning how to deal with and reduce unwanted clutter that keeps on distracting you every now or then for good!

It is important to note that worthy distractions are not all that bad- your brain is a hardwired sensory organ that has one goal to keep you safe and kicking- sensing distractions by its natural way- the brain helps you avoid accidents and saves you from a lot of shit!- Each one of us has that memory when we slammed the brakes to save that idiot who just came in between! (and more often then not we are too surprised with our own speed to react to the emergency!). It is the stuff made up on unworthy and non-urgent distractions that leads to the fatigue and unwanted blurring of our abilities and these are more often to do with the settings of our workplace and our approach to that work and an intriguing interplay wherein others also contribute- either helping or harming us even more with each interaction!

The times of distraction that we live in about- that email- that whatsapp ping, that sms, that unwarranted call, all of these take away valuable seconds and play a focus dodge ball with your mind- result – you end up tiring it up more quickly and rapidly- as a result your brain starts to play its tricks- first it will ensure you slow down- make you crave for food (read sweets or carbs) make you eat more then what you should (fool you into this), once you have hogged- digestion takes precedence over thinking and your brain is more focused internally and your razor sharp focus is blunted rapidly- until a point either you goof up big time or are smart to pull up that coffee cup and dowse your brain tricks with a quick shot of caffeine right to where it hurts! This is pay-back time to trick your brain and trying to tell it- “Shut up dude- have this caffeine and let’s get the job done!”

People do not realise how damaging distractions can be and the kind of havoc they can create- consider few examples- crossing the road, driving while dabbling with you cell phone- result- fatal and dangerous, getting distracted by a call as you type a mail and send it without a re-check to your client! Just as you are typing away something really important- that odd ping from a social handle and there goes your focus for a long holiday- So how do we manage this? is this manageable in the first place?

Well the simple answer is yes and no! Yes, indeed this menace can be managed and the challenge well, you need to make a directed effort towards it! If you were to observe people who have excelled at sports of some type of artistic expression (dancing, painting, theater) , one common aspect that becomes really evident is their ability to drift between sessions of razor sharp focus and relaxing away or dreaming on! The trick is to strike a balance and ensure that the brain is utilized and relaxed in an optimum cycle to ensure that fatigue doesn’t set in, nor is the focus compromised! We need to adopt a similar stance while dealing with distractions at work- whether they are those pesky emails, calls, or unwarranted meetings- we need to strike a razor sharp focus when we have the “me time” at work and ensure that we are relaxed yet attentive as we create work through collaborations- This apparently is one reason that new age organisations always talk about relaxed rule books and casual settings (but do remember that never implies they are not serious about their numbers or profits) all they are saying is “our thinking gets rewarded by the setting- it tricks the brain into relaxation thereby ensuring the focus can be sustained and productivity enhanced even more!”

So, here you go, learn to balance your mind like a ballerina, being swift and still in the same stance! Learn to know when to pick that call, check that phone or that email and know when to shut down your gadgets and allow yourself to escape into the fictional wilderness created by your amazing brain!

I leave you here, with possibly a cup of your favorite drink, to plan how you want to create focus and space at the same time so that you can Mind your mind and a minded mind helps you mind the world eventually! Bye for now!

Does your designation define your incompetence?

~ PA ~ 1 Comment

Well, after slogging it for around two decades and meeting intelligent and dumb people on the go, this has been one question that has always played on my mind! So much so that eventually when it came to start on my own- and when my CA asked me what designation I wanted to have (as part of the company formation process requirements), well I was left with even more predicament! This piece is not to prove anything or discount away the merits of having those wonderful visiting cards (that give you that high every time you give it to your extended cousins at an Indian wedding! or when you give it to people – especially when no once cares and no one is requesting for one!), neither is it about deciding what’s wrong or right- it’s about having some fun by sharing the observations that we make and try to engage with the limited supply of common sense that we have to decipher is any of this really makes any sense!

Way back when I was into sales, a part of my job involved reaching out to enterprise clients and offer business solutions – the first thing that struck me (while I was meeting representatives of a private bank) was very interesting! This was the time when, if you were an MBA (from any college) in India- you were the next big sensation! Well when I went into the meeting (as a designated Sales Manager – the only one from my organisation), I was greeted by 7 youngsters (all young hotshots averaging around 25-26 years), I was around 32 then, and the next big surprise came, when I learnt all were there to meet me! and you know what, as we exchanged the cards (as was customary then) each of these 7 people were Associate Vice Presidents (AVPs)! I was like, “WTF”. Eventually as the meeting progressed a lot of things got clear, none of them had the authority to buy a ball-point pen forget evaluating a business solution for their bank, none of them had a team and guess what two had already resigned! None of them had technical understanding and I had to eventually just meet up with their Head of Department later (who was twice my age and technologically challenged – as expected- that was the beginning of technological up-gradation in Indian banking system then!

As years’ went by, this instance always remained with me and every now and then flashes of corporate level incompetence could be seen across as people flashed their business cards with all the heavy English words that they could think of- at times I wondered if these companies had hired Copywriters in their HR team even to come up with those jazzy designations which on ground meant almost nothing! In another interesting case, once while I was working with an advertising firm, we had this whole family of designations (which was, I believe created when the industry was doing really well and warranted those many clinical details on business cards) but, me being me, when I asked a person what was an AVP (Associate Vice President) doing differently on a said account then a CSD (Client Servicing Director) or a VP (Vice President) and what was the “Group” referring to in the designation of a “Group Account Director” when the individual was slogging on a single client all through the year (that also on one aspect of marketing communication challenge- namely- BTL (Below The Line)! – there was only one reply- silence and a smile! Finding no sane replies, my observation and informal chats with people helped to connect the dots and get a complete understanding about the ecosystem that we call as “Workplace”

Well it turns out, like with everything else, all things started well, whether it was the banking sector or the advertising agency space, all of them were shaped on best practices that came with international alliances or international standards and norms as the case would have been- but what got left out very importantly was – the generous use of able discretion to award or present a specific designation and attach it to a particular task/role. This got compounded as Incompetent designations met Incompetent people (which was the function of limited ability to purchase real talent at a real cost). So, no surprises what happened next! Eventually if you hire a chef, who has experience in oriental cuisine and ask that person to dish out Italian- well you will be served for sure- but with a twist and that’s where the whole work arena has landed over! Walk into any office today and what you see is two hundred designations, three hundred people and no one sure enough of what they really do, not knowing where to start and where to end – with regards to the designations that they carry! So is this all really gone wrong or are these just odd cases! For that, I request you to consider a few more sane examples!

I am sure you always admire your law enforcement agencies and defense forces- you should- they do keep the dark forces away!- Well irrespective where in the world you are- one thing is common these are disciplined forces- Each team player exactly knows what they need to do in a particular situation and they know exactly when they need back-up and when they can handle things by themselves- yes and they too have designations and follow command! So how come they are so clear headed and sure and there seems to be no ambiguity? Before I answer this for you another one example to make things really simple!

We have all visited a doctor at one time or another, what do you see in hospitals and clinics?- There is direction- The moment your consultant thinks- that you are really messed up beyond his cognitive abilities- a senior doctor will be brought in- to understand how badly you have screwed up yourself- why does this happen- well experience yes (experience as in not spending more time at the hospital- but in context of having worked on complicated and more number of such complicated cases!)

So if you see, in the case of our defense forces or doctors- when they add the designation as “Group Captain” or “Colonel” or “Senior Cardiologist” or a “Senior Surgeon” one thing you can be sure- they will not be 25-26 year old’s and they want be faffing around about what they can do- because these are the people, my friend – who know for sure- that they are last people standing between your miserable existence on earth and your flight to after- life!

Well to make the point simple- Designations have to be reflective of “What you do”, “can do” and are “allowed to do” with regards to your workplace. Importantly organisations need to wake up and understand , gone are the days when people could get intimidated by reading “President” and “Senior President” on cards- well frankly no one cares- because the other person getting your card is also part of corporate slavery in equal measure like yourself- so it’s time to knock off all the falsified egos and get the blinders off! Unless this is done business cards spell out incompetence towards the designation or the individual as things become apparent through business interactions!

Through my limited experience, when business cards match personalities of the people who carry them and sense of completeness is achieved (not getting a deal or a sign off), rather a space wherein there has been an intelligent exchange of ideas which reason why things can move ahead or otherwise- it is then that justice has been done to the designation and the person who upholds it!

It is very simple to remember, keep designations aligned to the work and the people who they are being awarded to- until that happens each one of us can continue calling ourselves “CEO” of our own lives!

Think and simplify!-Incidentally, this is also one of the few things that we do as part of our consulting offering-adding common-sense to businesses! Until next time Ciao! Do write to me at parimal.aluri@simplifylives.com and do let me know what you would like to read next!

Deciphering the Hate rhetoric!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

Whether we agree or not, we see an ever increasing instance of hate and negative emotions at play around us;more then ever before and ironically these are “allowed to be ok”! When we genuinely come across “normal good behavior” (which by itself is a rarity!) we start to doubt intentions of people! This piece is about trying to see what causes this anomaly and how can we deal with it- should we join the bandwagon of hate or should we be doubting every person around us!

Human brain is simply brilliant- ask any psychiatrist, psychologist and have a chat with that young neurosurgeon who just got a chance to open up and see one! All of them(irrespective of their approach of study) will agree to one thing- this is one machine that evolution has been absolutely brilliant at- so much so that even decades after the first time the brain was surgically opened up- it still keeps throwing surprises – when it heals and when it ends up having a mind of it’s own!

The human brain, like any machine provides an output proportional to the input. You feed it with garbage- garbage will flow out; feed it with stimulating and complex challenges, it will throw out ingenious solutions and provide answers (almost always) either by itself or by collaborating with other working brains (read progressive and purpose driven team work!). Now the million dollar question- If the brain is so evolved and able to take wise decisions- what in the world is wrong with it- when you actually see people, leaders alike using negative emotions and “hate” in particular as a rhetoric to address and reach out to masses or communities! What’s going wrong here? The answer lies in the hard wiring of our brains!

Through evolution, the brain has developed ensuring that as species we survive- the onslaught of nature, wild animals and eventually are able to ensure individual succession through battling and protecting oneself from other tribes and clans- it was and is the master control- to ensure the survival of the fittest all through evolutionary history of human species- and evolution never stops- its an ongoing phenomenon- which is on even now as I type this and you read this and will go on long after you and I do not exist! The earlier battles were simple and more of an survival instinct- with time as societies evolved, safety and security was more or less settled, the brain started to navigate the nuances of living with more and more number of people like never before and that’s where societal structures and rules began to came into play- this order was necessary to ensure channeling of human resources happened optimally through division of labor or other structures that a society would have had. At this point of inflection- as human greed began to take seed more then ever before- the brain started to learn the traits that today display all the negative elements and more importantly of societal level and community level hate mongering!

This hate and despise rhetoric when carefully deciphered originates form nothing else but “insecurity”. That feeling of being inferior to someone or something- ideologically, financially (which limits the access to perceived comforts) and a touch of attention seeking disorder – a blend of all this leads to that vitriolic “hate” rhetoric. Insecurities- at individual level and society or community level can further originate from a number of socio-economic or political reasons- it could be neglect of a section of a society for a long time- depriving them of certain societal benefits because of who they are or what they are; there can be a hundred reasons why certain actions would have been taken towards specific segments of society/communities across the world- not all of them would be right and neither all of them would be wrong! It is in this grey space that all unfulfilled and half-served promises stay on like eternal ghosts and demons which go on to infect the most vulnerable sections of the modern days societies at both individual and community level!

At times, when long deprived sections of societies seem to develop and contribute in an increasing manner and seem to have better control and better solutions for the larger good, vested interests tend to come out to play and distort the trajectory under the garb that the majority and puritanical fabric of a said society is under threat (sounds familiar- well it should- no matter where you are on the world map now- this is exactly what is being played out and irrespective which side you are and who’s right and whos’ wrong (this is a mind-game that tricks individual brains into believing one thing and later as a collective society ends up doing exactly the opposite!) I will share a case in point here- Individually every brain (unless you are a clinically certified psychopath) knows that arson, abuse, violence (physical and otherwise) is unbecoming of being human being (keep aside all other values systems and belief systems for a moment- they are not even needed at this stage)- next you add another half a dozen brains- add a layer of a value system or belief that “because of “x”, “y” is not available and to achieve “y” we must enact “z”- That’s about it- it is this small aorta of collective hallucination and distortion in the thinking cycle that is needed to lead to a full blown crisis of captivated and manipulated thinking process that will undermine every ounce of common-sense, ethics and individualistic values systems of mutual care for ages to come- just one figment of collective distorted thinking- all that is needed to let all hell break loose- now with a population of over 7.5 Billion, coupled with an ever increasing insecurity at play- internationally, within nations, within regions of a nation and within cities and societies within a region- Now you know why “hate and despise” is so easy! and readily available for serving hot and cold all the time!

Science has ample evidence that the right to uphold value systems and beliefs which service the larger and greater good and difficult to come up with and even more difficult to sustain in an ever changing dynamic world wherein even friendships between nations seem to flirtatious at their best! Alongside this , you have the quick service restaurants that serve hate and vitriolic rhetoric by the dozen and on order, 24 hours a day! No wonder that when genuinely good humans walk by- we either end up awarding them after they are dead or award them the highest peace time awards and technically make them redundant so that they are as ineffective as the awards been given to them!

More importantly for the average person on the street, the world over the dilemma to trust, invest and hold the hands of a stranger seems to just become more complicated because of these varied and paradoxical hues that modern days societies preset themselves as! The ensuing result- No commitment for any relationship- within the family or elsewhere- modern day societies are turning into more and more individualistic silos hidden away within a fragile shell – add a little pressure of insecurity and each element within the shell will crack and stand up for himself/herself- there is no more “WE” and the “I” although looks good;, seldom stands a chance of defending or defeating anything worthwhile! So how do we manage this? Can we?

Well to be very honest, societies where hate/despise is served by so-called leaders of the society- God alone can help! The only other way to turn around such deeply flawed societies is a comprehensive revolution and well – history knows, revolutions are filled with sweat and blood- apparent or real! The cost of a revolution is evaluated by the benefit that will ensue once the dust settles- if there is no great incentive- then societies stagnate and implode within; too weak and too starved to even voice out anything- forget about addressing the world! But there is hope and the hope comes from the ingenuity of the brain itself- as like minded brains connect and interact and as they grow in number through education and progress of the said society-the more accommodating and human thinking gets ground- fewer will be the oddities that relish on hate and hence eventually they will get weeded out by Thought- The power of Human Thought- seeded by right education that embraces the over arching principle of being human and fostering care and affection for fellow humans is the only answer that societies can give to the underlying demons of hate despise which at times are apparent and other times lie in the wait to capture the weak links and bring havoc to our otherwise serene thinking!

I leave you with these thought, grab your coffee and seek the sane part of you and see how trusting you are and how others feel around you- that my friend is the first step to ensure and spread the warmth in the society which will dispel the ghosts of hate and despise- One enlightened mind and One warm soul at a time is all that it takes! Until next time ciao!

Add value to your Time!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

Keeping all the worldly problems away, the singular aspect which is a great leveler – is undoubtedly- “Time”. Irrespective whether you are rich or poor, affluent or just plain surviving, travel in a private plane or use public transport, indulge in life to the fullest or not- Time is equal for all of us- it goes ticking by the seconds ever since we arrive and continues along; Time doesn’t race ahead when we are battling the tide neither does it slow down when we are enjoying the highs of life- it goes on with it’s own intrinsic rhythm all the time and always- this piece is around this fundamental aspect of life which seems to get overlooked in the fast pace that we all have embraced and at times intentionally like to overlook!

86,400 seconds each day (in a 24 hour period), that’s the opening balance that each one of us has got, grab your coffee and just think how did you spend this huge amount of time the other day! would have you spent it differently had you been given an incentive (an incentive to live a little longer – perhaps a day longer for each day well spend?!). Certainly these aspects are not as simple as they seem, however the fact remains that at the end of every 24 hour period- you have consumed 86,400 seconds and how that has helped you or harmed you for today or for the times ahead- largely depends on what you did with it! Your application of value, quality and creativity within those fleeting seconds puts you in path of a trajectory which takes you either in the direction of your intended effort or away from it- it all begins with you and the best part is you get to decide!

Imagine a day- A normal corporate working day- commute to your work place- meetings (sensible and unwanted, unproductive) discussions, talks, office sanctioned bitching sessions (speaking, opining and thinking about people/ colleagues -who in turn won’t know that and who would really not care about it anyways!) Next, spending sometime doing what you are supposed to do- in a way that pleases you (that’s the reason why all those meetings and discussions and chit-chat arises from- because if each one of them in an office does things what they are supposed to be doing the way it should be done- there is absolutely nothing left to talk- discuss about!)- Think about it! Next you pick yourself- tired and famished for all the unproductive nonsense that you have engaged with through the day and head back for that late evening meet and greet with friends at the nearest pub- again an unproductive orchestrated bitching session – which now transcends into multiplicity of office scenarios (depending on number of people around the table)- again it goes on and on- with no resolution to improve anyone’s life by adopting anything to avoid anything that would have caused all those bitching issues and feeling happy for no real reason– you head home. You hit the house- have a customary chat and sign off (almost dead) only to wake up the next day and continue with more or less same shit! (only examples, people and context changes- content and outcome more or less remains same)

Sadly for all the evolutionary intelligence that physiology has gifted humans with- this kind of existence and way of living does a considerable disservice to ourselves and our intrinsic intelligence (whether we choose to use it or not!) This is the biggest underlying paradox of our times and the biggest challenge that we must overcome to lead ourselves to begin with- before we even think of creating value for others- we must first and foremost create value for ourselves through mindful existence and meaningful presence in all that we choose to do- through our thoughts and actions!

Bias- Societal confirmation bias– this is what leads us to believe that – we must bitch in offices- we must party and engage in unproductive nonsense and spend a considerable time of our lives- discussing, speaking and share n build opinions about people, places and almost everything around- when actually none of those opinions are going to make any difference to the person or the the topic of discussion! You would have experienced this- People suggesting how a soccer match should have been played in the 28th minute, what President Trump should say and do, Plastics are a real problem (discussing this while having your cold drink from a single use plastic bottle!), disusing about health- about going to gym (while downing your fifth beer glass or smoking your fourth cigarette!).

As human beings we naturally long “to belong” – belong to a group, a clan- that is something hard- wired in the earlier days of solution- this provided security and safety (as we roamed around the wild untamed lands), as societies became agrarian- discussions shifted with focus on “comparative observations and statements” whenever these were objectively driven and forward looking- innovations and improvement of quality of life was experienced (read great civilizations of the past). Whenever these happened with ulterior motives- it simply wiped out kingdoms and monarchies from the face of the earth (read sabotage/ political maneuvering – from greed- greed for power and self obsession!)

This same instinct, “To Belong” when used effectively in modern day office settings (the modern day wild wild west) can create wonderful achievements for the individual and the organisational ecosystem(read invitations, path breaking discoveries, the coveted Nobel prizes) all these come from this space- wherein the engagement is purpose and meaning driven– this is what I call – Organisation facilitated directed bitching to achieve something meaningful which is in line with the purpose of the organisation! You will always find individuals and organisations that are on a high- with purpose on mind are often the most fast paced, quietest and when they call for meetings- their meetings make real sense (short, crisp and defined)- because they plot their journey and ensure they keep up the pace and direction that they have planned- and it really doesn’t matter whether this meeting happens at their corporate HQ’s or at a beach resort (because meaning and focus of purpose so hardwired- it actually is like second skin- always worn- inside out!)

86,400 seconds is all that we have got for each day- how we choose to spend it decides – what our next move is and whether we are making our next lot of 24 hours easy on us or we are adding to our challenges! The ability and the necessity to value time and ensure we have a purpose driven approach to time doesn’t mean that we should stop enjoying life and we should get dead serious about every second- what it means is, we need to strike a fine balance between purpose that we choose and the recreation that we need ,once this has been established, trust me you have arrived! This realization of being able to classify everything around you – as either part of your purpose or part of recreation will empower you like nothing else- provide you with enough clarity and sense of direction- which in turn will know how you are investing your 86,400 seconds and spending them each day!

I will leave you with your remaining seconds for the day and urge you to begin thinking around- what is your purpose and what is your recreation- and how much time your are investing and how much you are spending!

Like every other virtue, it’s always good to use “time” wisely so that it amplifies and resonates with your purpose and ensures you also have enough recreation the way you want to! How many of the 86,400 seconds do you have for today and what are you planning to do with them? Invest or spend? whatever you decide- stay wise!

Overcoming corporate slavery.

~ PA ~ 3 Comments

Irrespective of whether you agree to the aspect of “corporate slavery” or not doesn’t matter, because that argument is equal to not believing in the existence of the Sun because at night you can’t see it! This piece is about accepting the problems around,understanding how far reaching and deeply impacting the consequences are and what can we possibly do about it (as individuals- because according to capitalists theories they would want this to go on forever and ever!)

As students’ complete graduation or post-graduation; their aspirations are about getting a “good job”, decent salaries (to pay of liabilities accumulated by virtue of trying to get educated to that level) and race ahead to reach the top of the corporate pyramid to impact businesses, industries and policies- well there’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of these aspirations- perfectly legal and sane. The only challenge is in the deception of the term “good job” this deception almost always turns fatal and catches up with these young aspirants sometimes sooner then later. Global indicators (if you access some readily available data online from valid sources) indicate that the so called mid-life crisis (which I simply see as manifestation of the “good job” syndrome) is happening pretty earlier (around late 20s’ to early 30s’ unlike the earlier times (when it used to actually begin to hit around mid 30s’ to early 40s’)

Now to the million dollar question, “How do we negate or at the best manage this to at least have realistic mid-life crisis years which correspond to real mid-life years of a human being rather then reflecting mid-life for some other animal species! The root of the problem is in the belief and value systems that societies the world over have. The fundamental premise that the entire effort of studying and gaining wisdom (remember wisdom is different from knowledge- knowledge makes you intelligent, wisdom makes you wise- these are two entirely different things!). Essentially these need to compliment each other and an imbalance in these impacts our life quality on an ongoing basis as that reflects the decisions that we end up taking!

The fact remains that education; has a lot to do with helping build understanding about the world around you. When education is used as a tool to fetch you a job, crack an exam to get a job or get a “certification” to establish societal legitimacy about your grey matter- things start to go wrong! Flip the pages of history, you will find that among the many reasons why companies collapsed, political parties withered away, businesses houses went bankrupt- these simply happened because you had “qualified” and “highly paid” people managing and leading teams which at times had “wise” people (whom they did not listen to, well in time- to avoid the melt down) or had “idiots” who accelerated the demise of these corporations! This,my friend is the ugly face and impact of “corporate slavery- the modern day replacement of slaves working fields or plantations- now working out of glass walled air conditioned prisons”

Corporate slavery starts innocently; things like utopian value and mission statements of organisations , a few weird statements could mean or sound like these -“we never loose”, “we never delay”, “We are champions” or even better, “we have no competition”, “the competition is me”. These look as innocent and senseless as they are but when you have dumb wits who are told to act on them and they go about acting with limited number of people to deliver and have targets (which are not targets but manifestations of greed- yes one of those cardinal sins) that’s how the slavery starts. Greed (corporate greed) is deceptive, all the comforts tend to blind the mind and make people do what they do- the result- a meaningless job profile ( no personal development to tell to yourself or your kids) and preparing ground for the mid-life criss even before you have lived a quarter of your life time on the planet!

A simple test to know whether you are actually a victim or engaged in “corporate slavery”- Try and see if you get a “yes” for the following questions (and yes don’t connect your designation, career growth and money that you make when you try to answer):

  1. Has your experience enriched you as a person and developed and shaped your personality positively
  2. From your experience have you been able to suggest and create (original ideas) ideas that could add value that lasts after you leave the place or the earth (which ever happens first)
  3. Has your experience been different with each day rather then being predictable routine that resonates with months/ seasons’/ business cycles’
  4. Do you have a story to tell yourself or others that your life has been fulfilling

Well, if you answered “yes” great, you are one of the few lucky ones’ who has possibly escaped “corporate slavery” and has been contributing to ensure others are also free of those dreaded shackles- In that case you would be that corporate icon with whom everyone wants to work with!

So what do you do if you are not sure and are possibly stuck with this- well the good news is- it’s never too;ate to course correct as long as you are alive, the bad news- it takes effort- directed effort to get into this space of being a rebel and saying no to slavery like the good old days!

Unlike the real world problems- corporate slavery is very easy to predict and a good start would be by being able to apply your mind to the job profile (that has been shared with you)- If it’s a well articulated one, you know what exactly is expected and you can very well come to a conclusion whether you are signing up for a job or a term as a corporate slave! This is the point where you negotiate to your advantage (knowing what your aspirations from life are (about which you need to have clarity) or simply walk away and don’t engage any further. In other scenarios wherein you are already working and overnight some maniac has been handed over the reins to marshal the company, well this is where you, “practice the pause”, take a moment, stay away- gauge the benefits against the foreseeable problems and take a call. In life you must walk away- no matter what the initial pain or uncertainty- in the long run- it will pay off- but for this to happen you need to have a string internal beacon which is able to keep you honed on to the per-determined aspirations of your life at all times! Lastly, wherein organisations do not have a job profile and any formal structure- well you need to use your wisdom and navigate to know “How much is Enough” and you need to be aware when to say “Enough is Enough” and walk away!

Slavery of the mind or any kind, by it’s very intrinsic meaning of the word is about being bound to something to someone. Human beings are not hard wired to being bound- we have been wanderers, travelers and warriors and that’s something that we aspire for deep within- no, not all of us can be in the defense forces, or cabin crews or hippies; but what we can do and what each one of us can do is to set our aspirations and value systems to a notch that let’s us navigate with a considerable degree of freedom in what we choose to do and practice for passion or for monetary gains– N matter what it is and this notch will always blink red and let you know when your space is being invaded- the you have a choice to course correct- either by limiting your space, defending and fighting for it or simply walking away!

Leaving you with thoughts, for a wonderful weekend ahead, remember -A free mind and a energized soul can enjoy weekends through the week even as you work- as long as you are not enslaved! It’s not about passion it is about space to grow, express and wisdom to apply and share!

Grab that coffee and liberate yourself! Will catch up soon with another piece, keep writing in to me at parimal.aluri@simplifylives.com and suggest what else you would like me to pen about and yes, we are available for tailor-made meaningful training’s and workshops to empower individuals and organisations as always!

When Talent Deficit becomes a curse!

~ PA ~ Leave a comment

Well the last time we discussed about leadership, but the fact remains that to lead “someone or something” it needs to have intrinsic talent within itself to begin with! This article takes a look at a few shades and manifestations of talent deficit and how it impacts all of us- in one way or the other- whether we realise it or not!

I firmly believe in the principle of something what I call as “Where’s your river?” If you closely analyse about “human intelligence dysfunction” it has a lot to do with the crucial touch points during the formative years of one’s life (the place of birth, how many cities changed, in case of a country like India- what kind of regional nuances have been picked up and have been let go off etc.). Everything that everyone becomes is nothing more but a function of distillation of the experiences that one has been able to hold on to during their formative years– if you argue that you are still forming- well- no issues- keep going- you are a masterpiece in the works! ( Well I guess each one of us- that may be the reason why we are unique!) Now coming back to the fundamental aspect of all this- “The River”- well needless to say- every society will draw it’s best and worst from the very foundations that it stands upon!

Once you have observed enough and understood this simple engaging truth- you will begin to relate to all types of dysfunctions that you see around with greater ease, pace and more importantly learn to make peace with what the world (your world) offers you and you are left with only one choice- to do whatever best you can do- with what you have- improvise upon what you have- or keep sulking and cursing your fate for the time that you exist- it’s all about the choices that you are ready to make- whether to look up into the dark skies and seek stars for navigation or search for pits and dirt in the bright daylight that shines around you as you keep apace with the cycle of clarity and ambiguity as you seek to move ahead!

Now think about a school where teachers’ are complaining about brat students’- change the lens and see the parents’ complaining about dumb teachers’, dive a bit deeper and see the disconnect increase further as you reach college and universities- wherein the growing disconnect manifests into dangerous things- below average research, below average development of research values, below average future for able minds and stunted future for a society as research is stifled and truncated briskly- all of this because of the intrinsic challenges that arise from being part of a system that is constantly depleted of its ability to rejuvenate or innovate!

As these dysfunctions transcend into more serious areas of the society- jobs in firms, power positions in government, politics- nothing but chaos is unleashed and the depletion and complete destruction of the fragile fabric that enables a society to be proactive and intuition driven is simply ripped away!

Talent deficit is an end-product of a very complex societal dysfunction (some of which we touched in the paras above- albeit in a slightly different way) and the effects are far reaching- that is how regions, states, nations get labelled in the circles of business and politics- largely defined by the crispness or the blatant absence of meaningful minds that know when to solve an issue and when to avoid it and when to ignore it!

The greatest myth that people tend to pursue with talent development (based on it’s perceived absence or presence) is that it can be developed beyond the limits of the immediate societal contexts (socio- eco-political). Talent at any level- whether that’s a kindergarten kid that you are evaluating or a CEO level hire- is always a function of the society that it is coming from- values, beliefs, attitudes, aspirations, opportunities and all that goes into creating that individualistic identity. No one ever fished out a whale out of a bucket of water and no one ever landed on the moon by wishful thinking- that is the essence and underlying fundamental problem of not experiencing talent enough as we would want to.

The ways and means to resolve this and solve this- well that would be an apt topic for another write up- but until then spend some time and do reflect to see how you have experienced talent deficit around you- are you also one with it or are you the one who has suffered because of it!

Finally, before I leave you a little unsettled to figure out your thoughts- if you still are wondering what this write up was all about- try trusting your doctor or engineer who does not want to show you their academic credentials- and then think about someone like that to run or ruin nation!

Will be back soon with another piece- and possibly with some solutions to manage your nightmarish talent deficit!