Three People

I was watching an old video of Isabel Allende on the topic Tales of passion (Ted Talk) in which she says…Empowering women will change everything -- more than technology and design and entertainment. I can promise you that women working together -- linked, informed and educated -- can bring peace and prosperity to this forsaken planet.

Her words touched my soul. Being a woman, she made me think about three different women who played dominant, prominent and very special role in my life - my mother, my sister and my principal. I believe, it is only because of these three, I have reached to this height in my career and being blessed with a notable name in the society.

My mother, who dwells from an orthodox family from a small village of Bihar, hardly had finished her class tenth when marriage bells rang into her life and she got tied for her life with my ever loving and adorable father. As she was tender, physically and mentally underdeveloped to understand about the crux of running a family, even after her marriage she stayed with her parents for another four years.

To the readers let me tell you all that I am not talking about that period of time, when child marriage was considered as sin nor it was considered as social abuse. My humble father brought her to her new family – of her in law, when she was pretty matured. But the journey did not end here. My father planned to move to a new place in South India, the then Andhra Pradesh, to its capital Hyderabad, where he got the opportunity to work as an accountant for Sriram Engineering group (USHA).

Both my parents were quick at learning the new language. They struggled in the initial stages, but my Maa was quite a quick learner. She picked up Telugu pretty soon. She was blessed with three daughters and a son. My elder sister, the second women whom I will admire throughout my life, was my best friend.

Just a class tenth pass out, my mother is far better than the management students of these days. I appreciate her various skills, particularly her accountability, the way she organized the family and had maintained the decorum of our home and being so helpful and friendly that we have always led our life in peace even when we were surrounded with number of other families and neighbors – who were bit deprived in terms of financial condition.

The lessons taught my Maa:

1. Help the one who are indeed in need of.
2. Care for others
3. Pay respect first and then even if you do not demand, people will respect you
4. Don’t expect anything from others
5. Always be the doer than demanding others to do it for you

Well, these five principles were not only imbibed by me but also my siblings. My elder sister, Di will remain guru for my life. She taught me how to care and respect others. Her dedication for time and work always made me feel low when I compared her personality with mine. She believed that education is certainly important but more than education, values do play significant role in our life.

• Values what others say
• Value what you listen and believe
• Value that you have than cribbing and thinking about those things which are not with you
• Value your time
• Value your health

My first recruiter, the Principal (the place where I took my first job as school teacher) Ms. Seema Saira Ahmed who made me grow, allowed me to think out of box. She was like a mirror into which I could see and find out my shortcomings and then tried to rectify myself. Mistake that I committed were left as mistake rather than turning into my habit. She broadened my vision. She was the torch bearer of my life. Her principles turned into my philosophy:

• Praise loudly, blame softly
• Do work but do not expect anything in return
• Value even the worst
• Learn from time as it teaches a lot
• Live in present, leave past and future

These three women had to struggle hard to make others believe into their potentiality. At many instances when they were demeaned either by family member or by the society, they did not stop their struggle. Rather, it always acted as the catalyst and had ignited the fuming desire with more energy to prove their caliber and overcome the obstacles created in their path of success.

Problems related to anything or I must say everything was handled in a genteel manner. They knew their limitations but did not compromise in their life. Their belief in self, made the toughest turmoil of life, an open page of learning. I owe a lot to them and my words are my gratitude towards their passion and dedication.

Patience Pays

Who says that people cannot change…there can be numerous hurdles in the way, if you have the right attitude and the desire to overcome the hurdle, trust me no one can stop you from reaching to the pinnacle.

I am glad that I could mentor one of my students who succeeded in breaking the cocoon, the old rudiments and free herself from her negative thoughts.

Initially, Shikha felt that she was a slow learner. She always considered herself inferior when she compared herself with her PGDM friends, hostel room-mates or so.

Well, it was in the month of August,five years ago  when I met Shikha for the first time during my training session on Interview Techniques. In the mock interview session, she looked nervous, shy and had covert behavior. I could guess that due to her inferiority complex she was not able to concentrate well over her studies, nor she was able to present her thoughts confidently.

I met Shikha after the session, inquired about her background and she said that she belongs to an orthodox family, a typical Maithil Brahmin from Bihar, where education of girl child is always considered as wastage of money by the parents, (may not be by all). Rather what they believe is, an added expenditure on the girl – generally which increases the amount of dowry that is to be paid to the bride groom before getting married, by the bride’s parent– which  is still persisting and prevailing in our Indian Society.

Let me admit a fact too, that parents always care for their children. Though the society and other family members were not in favor of Shikha’s further studies, yet her mother was determined and with her conviction was able to convince her husband for Shikha’s education. Even when she joined the institute, unfortunately Shikha could not find a suitable friend or must say the perfect environment which could have allowed her to groom her personality. She spent her evenings in her hostel room, doing her assignments and projects.

When her friends were thinking to prepare for big brands and high pay packages, Shikha failed to gather her confidence even in getting registered for any company’s interview process. She always feared to face the interview. In much perplexed state, when she gave her mock interview, I could sense the stress that she was going through.

Let me admit now, that her interview was pathetic. Her statements, sentences were meaningless. But I did not let her sense this. I appreciated her and said that she can do better only if she can write what she said and hand it to me. I told her that she is in fact very brave and confident child she could answer even that question which was not answered by the best of her buddies.

Shikha looked at me in surprise, not believing my words but somehow I convinced her. She wrote the answers and trust me, I could notice that she wasn’t bad. She needed that hand to hold which can show her the right direction and can let her search her own strength areas.

There was another student of mine, who was into his e-commerce business. He was looking for some tele-callers who could help in cleaning the data and in branding his product. I told him about the incidence and requested him, if I can arrange for an interview with Shikha. He agreed instantly and said that he will be able to pay only 3000 rupees per month.

The meeting went on very well. Shikha spoke confidently in my presence and agreed to accept the job offer. Her first job offer was in her hand just 3000 INR. Her heart was pounding and I could not stop tears which rolled out of my eyes, seeing Shikha, so happy.

Shikha, started her career. Though it was not the best start, but I wanted her to go with the offer. The change of environment was must for her inner growth. She did perform badly in the initial stages. Even on phone calls, she used to get those panic attacks, when her call was rejected by the other end. I told her that this is very common. I did few calls. The speaker was on and when she heard the negative response even when I tried to convince the listener, she broke the myth of her brain.

Shikha realized that this is not a failure. It will go on she has to overcome these. For next six months I was in regular touch of her, to know more about her difficulties. She shared her problems but she always added a solution to her problem at the end of our conversation.

Shikha joined a big, reputed press house of India. By now, she learnt the art of handling different situations. In the busy go life, she got settled and I got busy with my other training programs related to soft skills.

After five years, I received a call from an unknown number. When I responded to it, I was surprised to know that Shikha now runs her own e-paper. In her career journey, there were number of accolade s and appreciations that Shikha had earned for her work, innovative ideas and application of techniques. She wanted to contact me so that I could train her 7 employees whom she thought, someone like me could help.

Shikha made me feel proud. She will remain in my memoir forever. I went and met her, signed the MoU to help her employees. I could see plethora of changes in Shikha. She has overcome her nature of being timid and shy. She accepted challenges confidently and was ready to challenge others. The confidence could be seen in her bright eyes, which had many number of ambitions.

I don’t know, to how many more will I be able to help but there is one thing, if I meet any Shikha in future, my dedication to bring change in her will be positive as I do have an example who has proven, given an opportunity, no one will be left behind. People look for a push and I will be a factor to give that push to the needed person.

Seven Elements of Employment

Yesterday, in one of the oldest B-Schools at Delhi, I got an opportunity to interact with the new entrants of PGDM program. Well, I have come to know that students in our country, bother more about their degrees than about the accumulation of ASK - Attitude, Skill and Knowledge. Students were pretty sure of what they wished to do, after couple of years.

1. Either to help their family head in strengthening their business which is already well established 

2. Or seek a job in one of the reputed companies - generally in Multi-national Companies.

I was surprised, when I heard youth speaking so. I thought, the youth will dare to accept risk, fly high to expand its vision and surge   to cover an extra mile. The courage to face or handle risk is so limited that they are ready to take any further step with proper calculation of risks.

They wish to grow but without facing challenge. They want to pick up the specialization of Marketing but demand for jobs wherein there are as such no TARGETS.

Also, the understanding of the jobs, its basic requirements, the needed hard skills and soft skills, the present student community is living in dark ignorance.

I am not condemning the present generation of students rather I feel pity for their situation. The education system needs a 360 degree review so that it can bring in clarity in its vision. Instead of putting qualitative value points in their files and faculty meetings, they need to vouch its application in classroom and its affect over student’s perception.

Even the student fraternity, should come out of its comfort zone and try to explore about the latest developments happening in different areas of workplace. There course outline should be developed keeping in view the present demand from the various companies plus our blooming economy.

Strengthening these seven elements of employment becomes must:

1. Accepting Risk

The present generation should like to encounter with the numerous risks. Rather living and expecting about comfort zone, they should be forced to accept risk. It expands their problem solving and decision taking skills. They understand about the problems in depth. Instead of avoiding turmoil, they should learn the art of facing the turmoil and getting out of it with some concrete solution.

2. Focus Target

The main intention of the present education system should be to throw targets at the students. They should be encouraged to pick up targets. Draw a proper road map; develop certain flow charts which can help them to reach to their target. Meeting target in itself is a big achievement. The targets should be designed by the institution in a planned manner. It should be from simple to moderate and then to tough one. 

3. Develop Skills

Whether you work for your own firm or for others, application of skills are the prerequisite for each and every person who has the attitude of go-getter. Among many skills, I sternly believe that communication skills are the utmost important one. 

4. Out of the Box

It is the demand of the time that if you create your own mark and wish to leave a strong impression over others, you will have to think out of the box. As students, your focus should be on honing critical thinking process and in nurturing the skill of lateral thinking. It is damn easy to think like others but to think in a different manner, demands for your added and extra energy.

5. Dream Big

Dream big. Understand that you are born to do things in a different way which can pave your way to success and growth. Put your best foot forward to face the facts and reality. Stepping front, demands for a well-planned strategy. All your strategies will work effectively or will be correct and will work according to your expectation, if you think so, believe me, it can stop your thinking process. Be ready to accept even your failure. 

6.Change is Must

You will have to change. This could be in your style, approach, in your vision and can be in your level of understanding. If you stop to embrace the change, trust me, you have locked the door which opens the room of success. You need to keep your eyes and ears open. Move with rapid pace to compete with growing market and to meet its demand.

7. Know thyself

Though this is put in the last but it is the most important element. Self-introspection will allow you to dream your aspiration. It will help you in enhancing your skills and watchdog the risk factors. You can set your target and face the competition with better preparation. Viewing situation from three dimensions can help you to analyze the concept the other elements diligently.

Well, the education system and the institutions will have to think and develop programs and should see that these common seven elements are reinforced in each and every student.