Connecting with thoughts - My thoughts and Me

Two simple examples. Both from the online world though. Example one For hardcore gamers the multiplayer option online is a big draw. It provides them with an opportunity not only to put their hardcore gaming skills and intent on display but test them as well. For the layman multiplayer option is a given. Nothing much to think about. Rather it's obvious, the more the merrier. True. But what is obvious for the layman is hard work with a lead time of 18 - 19 months to ensure smooth and flawless multiplayer experience to the hardcore gamer. Example two For a hardcore online shopper who thrives on best bargains and deals, a smooth and hassle free transaction is what matters. It's a given.  The more user friendly experience he/she has the more he/she is going to keep coming back.  Each minute matters and counts. The faster the transaction the better. It's win win for both. It's obvious. Whats not obvious is the fact that there are  thousands of engineers wor

Dreams shattered Promises broken Desire unfulfilled Homes taken away Havoc wreaked  Peace ripped off Belief destroyed Trust questioned Souls depressed Faith lost Existence doubted Lives torn apart Living disrupted The travails of an aftermath Far far exceed Of what precedes it

For and against Two warring sides Two different perspectives Two sides of an argument Both right in their might For a cause which they fight However, fail to see the light The other may hold For the reason Being blinded  By the beliefs (in which they walk) Ignorant of the fact There are always three sides One for, the other against And one that connects them both The truth

Something's changed.... It's unlike before... There used to be... This was... Those days... Things were different then... That's how it has always been... Not quite the way we used to do.... If these are the sentences and thoughts one is stuck up with for what seems like ages...then he / she really needs to do a reality check and start to accept that for better or worse things have changed. The only thing left to be done is to catch up with the times, now or be left out.

In the confines of the walls That listen less and speak more Of twisted facts and distorted meanings Act just, even lesser The mind does not even hear Its own voice Trapped within the conscience of the soul

Miracles,               They happen every now and then               But we don't see them often as we would like               For carelessly we turn our eyes off them Miracles,               They happen when               The sun rises               The night falls               The flowers blossom               The season's change               The waves come ashore               A living soul breathes Miracles,               They are plenty of them               In and around us               But do we really care                To sight the pleasures  of knowing them               Talking to them                       Listening to them, feeling them,  Are we ready to,               Spare a moment for the               To give them thought               Experience them               Through us, with us and in us Well, when we do so               That itself shall be a miracle               And we will never have to

The last look Said it all all that we wanted Say for ages But the time when it was said Had gone past the present Into the history What we could only remember And shed tears over How I wished The last look never happened

I bend down To collect the fragments Of a dream shattered Which cut through my hands Leaving the scars of wound, however On the heart That's (been) since bleeding

Recently I happened to watch the movie - Rush. It depicts the rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda former Formula One champions who fiercely competed against each other. The movie tracks the evolution of their rivalry from Formula Three Circuit to Formula One Championship of 1976 where it reached its peak with both drivers willing to  push themselves to the breaking point of physical and psychological endurance and risk everything to become the world champion in a sport with no margin for error: if you make a mistake, you die.  The story also highlights their distinctly different personal styles and lives, on and off the track of both. Though both acknowledge their mutual admiration and inspiration they draw form each other they remain critical of each others approach and prefer to do it their own way. James Hunt's Approach James approach to driving is driven by the passion, fun and the thrill of it. "The more closer you are to death the more alive you are

In crowd We always search For faces That are familiar That know us That relate to us For it is these faces That comfort us Give us our identity A sense of being In an otherwise Faceless crowd

There are times When silence has the loudest voice Unnerving, unsettling Disruptive and threatening Capable of wreaking a havoc That tears you apart Bringing alive your deep dark secrets Hidden in the closet of the mind Unbeknownst to others Manifesting itself in the form of Discrimination, suppression, regression Erupting into sudden outbursts of violence Leaving you to pick up pieces Of  an aftermath 

Nothing lasts forever Nobody lives forever Yet there is An unquenched thirst For immortality Why?

My words Are they a reflection of me, Of what I have done, Or ever wanted to do, Do they touch the chord And stir emotions meant to Creating meaning Strengthening bonds Building bridges Closing gaps Expressing love, expressing joy Or Do they push people Further apart Destroying bridges Weakening bonds Loosing the meaning Revoking the emotions Or Are they just words Meant to be......

I was never the one for you Neither were you for me Yet for some reasons strange Unbeknownst Our ways crossed On destiny's path Seeming one Soon enough for us to part Making me wonder Why did it all start?

A touch of love Was finally felt When unknowingly your hand Reached out to mine (Holding it softly) And deep within my heart I knew, I had all That I could have asked for

There are rules for everything Everything you can possibly think of Written, documented and circulated as well Read out and notified to all (Mis)Understood and signed by all as well Stacked up in piles of files That anyone has bothered To revisit, revise Other than religiously follow Crippling and clipping off the wings of trust, faith and empathy Filling the air with apathy Telling you You are not what you are And what you do is not done For its not what has been written Neither meets the elaborate stipulated rules and regulations Expressed in the domains of rigid bureaucracy

Truth is What they don't like To hear in the world That's cut off from realities Where lies thrive And manipulation plays To the tunes The ears like to hear Searching for solace and solitude In the confines of mind That is however Bound to realities of the world

It sees things and even people Black and white Hardly any shades of grey As its opinion of people sways Believing only in what it sees and does As right Try however you may With all your might The belittling and demeaning Which they cast Day and night, fight Such are the perils of of self righteous mind When and where it strays The truth is hard to find

Everyday life walks Into the corridors of mind Where desires of the heart thrive Into the world unexplored Striving to lead a life Far far away From the realms of reality Unknown to the world around

He has his own way with Words Simple yet spellbinding Which bring to life Tales gone dead Enchanting the listener Engaging the reader Into what otherwise would Have been inconsequential Series of words (Drawing you in with its cadence Tugging at your heart)

Railways - the lifeline of Mumbai everyday transports lakhs of commuters to and fro. Thousands flock to each of the enroute station for reasons that vary from just fun to work to meet their near and dear ones. One of the interesting skills people from Mumbai and its suburbs develop is their ability to board the train. Being able to board the trains that ply on these routes comes with own set of challenges. You will come across people politely requesting to get into the train, to people literally barging their way in what is an already crowded train. Seeing these people boarding the train especially at the starting point made me realize the few parallels that can be drawn with the corporate life. 1) The incoming train presents an equal opportunity those awaiting to aboard the train and seize opportunity to gain the first mover advantage . The first mover advantage in this comes here in form the fresh breezes that blows on to your face sitting next to the window in

Yesterday on my way back home after seeing the doctor, I stopped at a medical store to buy the prescribed drugs. Though I didn't have enough money with me, I decided to take a chance by requesting for credit if I fell short. "116 rupees, Sir".. the storekeeper said to me. I had only Rs. 70/- with me. "I will come back with the balance amount," I told him as I took the medicines and made the part payment. "Ok", he said. This was really strange to me. Strange for the following reasons 1) He didn't personally know me other than the fact I was one of the locals. We were both as good as strangers to each other. 2) He didn't even ask me for name or personal details, just in case I didn't turn up. 3) I rarely shopped for medicines at the medical store. 4) No other questions were asked or any other information was exchanged. Though I did return to pay the balance amount, what happened got me thinking. He trusted me. The rupees 4

In life, there comes a point when the journey further is no longer possible. However willing you may be to go the distance. The body just can't hold up to rigours of the will. The ensuing conflict is what you as a person suffer and experience. This conflict makes it the most difficult part of the journey, turning you into a restless soul trying to come terms with what's slowly becoming reality. Equally to difficult it is to let go from the point where you stand and turn back. For at this juncture life ceases to be.

Come independence day And patriotism sells Through flags Like hot cross buns Good enough to have While they last Nothing much to care Once their time has past

There's always the first one To take the path Less traveled Or at times A path never traversed Seeking out things Things that are insanely difficult Which others rarely imagine Willing to push through, bleed and stand up With grit, determination and commitment At the expense of being ridiculed Being unreasonable The first one leaves footprints On a path paved for others to follow

You fight An inevitable fight, Defiantly, Delaying the defeat, That's certain, It's not how long you fight Nor how long you last, But how well you stand up, Consciously, unconsciously

Two things drew my attention to this fact. Both incidentally from the field of sport. One individual another team. Both however test not only one's physical ability and agility but mental ability to absorb pressure and bounce back. Interestingly both are considered to be pinnacle worth striving for. One being the much coveted Wimbledon Open and other FIFA World Cup. In both competitions the finalists are within the striking distance of successfully completing the last mile. The one who wins is cheered and revered by the crowd. But for one who looses, all the good work comes undone and is laid to rest. For from there on how close you  came to winning does not matter. How well you fought does not matter. How many obstacles you conquered does not count. Everything starts again anew, afresh.

It's almost been a decade since the Dean of the institute where I was pursuing my diploma threw us a challenge. A challenge which would profoundly impact us if we had the courage to practice it. But it is easier said than done, he cautioned us, for only a handful few had really managed to go beyond the first few days. And those who did reaped benefits of the habit. The challenge was to stand in front of the mirror everyday and look into your eyes for 2-3 minutes everyday. Simple as it may sound, it's equally daunting task. Give it a shot, if you don't agree. Over the years, I have come realize why only a handful people have managed to go beyond the first few days. It's a psychological truth that we often see in others what we don't like about ourselves. When there is an aspect of ourselves we find unacceptable it is human nature to hide it from ourselves, even to pretend the opposite and instead project those feelings we have about ourselves unto to others. Bu

Alone in the crowd That's lonely Torn apart by Anguish, oppression and fear Yet united in Sorrow, grief and guilt Watching As yet another face Goes down, battered Fighting for What everyone is Within the confines of their mind For a better a place, for a better world (Where only the lone is secure)

"To be or not be that is the question" which Shakespeare's Hamlet posed. A dilemma, a crossroad which would go on decide the fate of things to come. Rare are the instances when one takes a decision without facing a dilemma or a conflict. Rare are the times when one has no choices to make. In fact in the world of abundance there may be a negligible chance, if any, of not being at crossroads. Take a look at all the possibilities, opportunities, choices et al. life throws at you and you will realize there is hardly any escaping it. The dilemmas, the conflicts, the crossroads one faces when making decision or a choice is definitely going to impact the way of the things to come. Good or bad, time alone will tell. However, its also evident from the discoveries, inventions that have been made, one had to cross over to something that's new, untried and untested. This at the cost of being laughed at, termed insane or ridiculed. More importantly, at times, never q

The stories remain Deeply embedded in the mind Of dreams and aspirations Of triumphs and joy Of might and power Of love Of us Of me Where every wish, every desire Was achieved with bliss Filled with the innocence of childhood Never told to the world outside

What's the first image that comes to your mind when you think about your organization? your job? about the HR policies of your organization? of work culture? performance appraisals (this one's most closer to heart)? rewards and recognition? goals and objectives? (You can add to the list) More importantly does an image come to your mind at all?  If yes, then how clear and vivid it is? Can you visualize it to the tee? Can you relate with the image? Does it inspire you? Is it the image you always had in mind? Are you happy with it or would like to change it? The better the detailing and explicit description or creation of the image can be considered an indication of your engagement with your job. It can also be considered as an indication   alignment with the organization clarity of goals and objectives understanding of contributions expected by the organizations If no, then there is a big big problem. For the mind always creates la

I am pretty optimistic that if we really take this thing up seriously we will be able to make substantial gains in the way we do our business..... (initiative 1) It's nothing like we have done before but am sure once we start doing things this way life will never be the same again.... (initiative 2) Now here we go... with these little steps life is going to be easier, things are going to move faster, quicker and for better..... (initiative 3) We have to proclaim our commitment to to quality...it's one thing we can't do without...surprisingly there a benefits to be reaped..which we surely will once we get the ball rolling (initiative 4) There are times when things catch an organization's fancy, things that are supposed to enhance the organization's value and the way it serves it customers. Such initiatives begin with the heart in right place. Help and support of key people is listed to give such initiatives a much needed push and they do take off well. Ho

Why do we get so bogged down by our perception of others that we fail to see them as real people.  always evaluate them based on the perception fail to see and understand them in context of the situation accept the fact what we are seeing is what we want and not what we need too conveniently hold on to our perceptions thereby creating beliefs out of it we end confusing our perceptions as facts

THE CASE OF THE BONSAI MANAGER - LESSONS FROM NATURE ON GROWING Author - R. Gopalkrishnan “The Case of the Bonsai Manager” happens to be one of the few books that I happened to read because of a strong recommendation from a budding entrepreneur in the process of scaling up his venture. He was empathetically speaking about the central theme of the book and how he could relate it to himself and his employees. He found the book deeply thought provoking and had left him thinking how he could move himself out of what the author called the “Bonsai” trap. That was somewhere towards the mid of 2007 when the book had just been published. The time gap between the recommendation and when I actually happened to read the book was almost of two years. This time around an article in a leading daily recommended the book as one worth reading and owning it too.  I am happy to have done just that. Before I get into why one should be reading the “let me tell you a few things”, the book

CHANAKYA’S SEVEN SECRETS OF LEADERSHIP Chanakya, who lived in India in the 4th Century BC, was a leadership guru par excellence. The treasure of his teachings can be found in his book, The Arthashastra, which deals with good governance based on ideal leadership.   The concept of the ideal nation in The Arthashastra, called Saptanga, holds that there are seven pillars of a kingdom: The Secret Represents Today in an organization Swami The King (The Leader) The Leader Amatya The minister (The King’s advisor and councillors, manager) The manager Janpada The country (the citizens) Marketing / Customers Durg The fort (The housing) Infrastructure Kosha The treasury (Money) Finance Dand The Army (The team) Teamwork Mitra The Ally (The friend) Consultants / Mentors In this path-breaking book, Chanakya’s 7 Secrets of Leadership, author Rad

So here I am five minutes into the meeting. Looks like its going great guns. The manager is speaking sense (my oh my...all of a sudden this big change in attitude..looks like the weekend outbound training helped). So it's going to be different. Sense and sensibility (this is the real vow factor we need to create for our customers) is back. We are now talking real thing, real problems, real concerns that we really need to address. Just why didn't he say these things before. What stopped him. What stopped......What? What? What?  Holy S***....here we go again..and its not even 10 minutes (that's approximately round about or just extra additional close to five minutes...yup when you are in a meeting like this its bound to happen) since the meeting started and all the sense and sensibility has gone for a toss. To hell with it....show me the numbers...I don't care how.  I don't care how the customer is changing. I don't care what is he demanding I do