Nationalism or real social concern ?

Mr. Mishra (Mishra Babu as we call) is a childhood friend. We went to school together. He also had a lucrative software career like us in USA.

Mishra babu is a strong follower and spokes person for traditional values, local culture and tradition, local language etc.

So much so, that he quit his comfortable job in Boston 7 years ago, and returned to his village to bring about some change. Or lets say, to stop some changes that was already happening and eroding all the stuff he was passionate about.

Unlike rest of us, who left USA and came to Bangalore and effectively changed nothing in our life, his life kind of changed completely.

He built a library, a computer lab in village. Started coaching the young people on some vocational skills.

But, nothing really helped. When he helped someone, they just wanted him to give him a job and a monthly paycheck. No one really wanted to work or learn.

He built libraries, no one really cared to study.

All this time he himself doing software project development as an individual consultant with a few companies, to sustain his family.

The recent "Kandhamala" caste and religion war in Orissa has shaken him up. He was explaining me the root cause of it through the evening.

Then kids wanted Pizza. When he called up Pizza Hut, the person responded in Hindi and English. Even after Mishrajee kept giving order in Oriya.

Th girl at the other side knew Oriya. But she has been told by the employer only to speak in English or Hindi. What would one expect if they call Pizza Hut in a small eastern town of India ? The fact that there is a Pizza Hut, already is telling a lot about where the real change is heading.

He was a disturbed man. I never give him my views, which are ultra liberal.

He is currently trying to start a news paper in local language to promote local language, culture and stop the westernization movement.

Can you hide from yourself ?

(This is something came by me via a chain mail, thought like posting it here as it has a lot of relevance to the theme of this blog)

A gentleman once visited a temple under construction where he saw a sculptor making an idol of God. Suddenly he noticed a similar idol lying nearby.

Surprised, he asked the sculptor, "Do you need two statues of the same idol?" "No," said the sculptor without looking up, "We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage."

The gentleman examined the idol and found no apparent damage. "Where is the damage?" he asked."There is a scratch on the nose of the idol." said the sculptor, still busy with his work.

"Where are you going to install the idol?" The sculptor replied that it would be installed on a pillar twenty feet high. "If the idol is that far, who is going to know that there is a scratch on the nose?" the gentleman asked.

The sculptor stopped his work, looked up at the gentleman, smiled and said, "I know it!"

Interesting Trend ...

Not sure, if it is exactly a trend in making or couple of spurious cases in a short span of time.

A couple of days after the Sr. Mgr who went to join active state level politics, from a smooth, conenient, well orchestrated life of a corporate employee

(http://betaalgyan.blogspot.com/2008/09/re-living-long-dead-dream.html), another such event happened.

I got a ping on the istant message from one young engineer, who was hired from one of the prestigeous IITs, 2 yrs ago in to this company.

He does not work for me. Infact, I not sure who he does work for. I remember meeting him in the new hire induction program (where I normally do the Corporate culture talk) two years ago.

He wanted to talk to me for a few minutes.

Normally these kind of suspicious instant messages from other team people come, when they want to change their team ;)

He walked in and told that I am quitting Cisco to go to Delhi and to prepare for Civil services. Then he delivered a very convincing powerful argument, why Civil service might be the right thing to do ! He wanted to share that with me. I was feeling honored in way, while wondering why he was sharing that with me, that to asking for a one on one meeting.

I am very excited to see these young successful corporate people, wanting to go back to public life. Where the root of all socio financial changes lie.

We are all on the periphery, because it is convenient. These young people are risking that convenience and security and taking bold steps.

This is really heartening to see.The trend vanished in last 10-13 years. It is return of a healthy trend in a way and in the right time.

Wished him all the best and asked him to add me in his Orkut friend list to stay in touch. I am sure he is going to succeed. He has that determination to do something - different !

Power of "Homework" !

Being in this industry, especially in the division that takes care of Telecom Service Provider market ( the ATT, Verizon, RelianceCom and Bhati types), is a continuous challenge.

It is difficult to make them all happy, all the time. They all want the latest technology all the time with least number of defects that can cause their networks to go down even for a few seconds. Very tight SLAs. Very tall competition, for them and for the equipment providers like us too.

Last week I visited one such big national career of a European country. They have had their share of displeasure and often in recent past, they have pondered to buy equipments from our competitors.

And, when the engineering person is being called to such a customers quarterly business review, it is normally not a good sign ;(

Needless to say, I dedicated pretty much a week to doing homework before I landed there.

- What have been their history with my company ? How long have they been doing business with us ?

- How have been their experience with us ? Every six month period at time over last 3-4 years ?

- What are their current cribs ?

- How are our competitors doing in that country and in Europe in general ? Have they been able to take away some business or they have given away more business to us ?

All these data to be analyzed. And interpreted and need to be told in a manner that makes our position stronger, especially when the customer is not happy.

Once analyzed, I did notice there are two or three key areas where there are real genuine reason for the customer to be unhappy.

But equally more important data point was that, in last three years the share of equipments bought by this company from us, is increasing against our two biggest competitors. There was no way to get the data which areas our customers are struggling in.

After analysis, made a simple slide deck that talks about every concern area found during analysis, and showed trends how they have gotten better over last 3 years.

There was just one job left. Critical one. In the business review meeting, I wanted to go first, before customer to present our data.

So that by the time the customer presents the same concerns, they have seen the better side of it.

Doctoring the schedule you may say ! That was easy indeed. Just asked for its, saying let the "English" presentation get done first and then we can go on for all other topics in local country language.

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The trip did end very well. Customer was lot less worried than they used to be. We did not get trashed.

The VP, Finance of the customer said, over lunch, that its them who always need technology 3 years in to future now, and want to pay the money 3 yrs later :) Talk about internalization of issues :)

Re-living a long dead dream !

I have never been so excited lately.

Today a senior manager from our extended team walked in. He has been around just for about 3-4 months.

We have never interacted personally. It was more in meetings and other work related interactions.

So, when he pinged me to meet me personally behind closed door, I could not really guess a reason. That rarely happens.

He came in, and told something is running in his mind that he wanted to share with me. Personal !!!!

Then he said, he is going on a long leave from job. To try his hands active state level politics.

He goes on - "I have handled teams up to 300 people. Been to IISc to study. Publish many patents. Headed business worth 2 Billion USD. Its his time to go back and do something in the space of real leadership."

Over the talks, I did figure that he already has a good support structure in state level politics, including the current chief minister of the state. He is very hopeful that he will get a ticket to run !

I for the first time did feel that Indian politics is heading in the right direction. Taking the right turns. Attracting the right talent.

Its no more the dirty word that everyone could utter in front of others.

Did a cheers for his career in politics with two liquor chocolates :)

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He reminded me of my student days, when I never thought I would end up being an engineer. I was very active in politics through student councils. My late political mentor (very renound politician of those days), used to trust me with very critical jobs like worker union and factory owner conflict resolution. I was well on my way to state level politics.

It was turn of the fate and lack of mental strength, that dragged me to a more mediocre career. The whole passion for public life was re-kindled in me, through him.

Alas ! I ve been traveling way long in a one way traffic with no U-turns.

Sizing it up !!!

I took the battle of Ram to Dr. Das over the weekend.

Dr. Das is amazing human being. Very humorous, fun loving, extremely knowledgeable and down to earth.

I get a lot of comfort in his presence and in his words.

Dr. Das listened to the story of the battle. As usual smiled and nodded through it without uttering a word. Very intent listener he is.

When I was done he said, "I know you did not tell me this to get a solution. I do not have a solution to this issue. And I know you would find a solution yourself."

That was comforting already.

Dr. Das goes on to a small story from mythology.

"When Hanuman was sent to bring Vishalyakarani from the Gandhamardhana mountains to save the life of Laxman, he could not find out the small plant in the big mountain.

It became a big issue for him.

As we all know, he expanded his body to bigger than that of the mountain and took the whole mountain to Lanka Nagaree. "

"Our issues might be much bigger in scale than what it look before we understand it completely. And we all have to grow bigger than the issues to face them effectively"

Unexpected gratitude ...

It was the fateful day, I was distributing the salary raise letters and bonus letters to all my employees.

This happens normally once in a year.

One of my employees, who has done very well last year, I was handing over the letter to him. He has done well. And expectedly his salary raise was very good.

I was expecting happiness on his face after seeing the mail. And selfishly looking at some gratitide on his part for me. Although in big scheme of things, I am just the messenger.

This person, takes me by surprise.

He did not even bother to look at his letter. He said me, that he is grateful to me no matter what is written on the letter, he will remain grateful to me.

I was shocked, internally though I was able to maintain a straight face. I was wondering why.

Then he goes on to explain, that 2 years ago, his wife had an major accident. And while he had a deliverable at work. Critical one.

He narrated how I took care of the situation. How I asked him to focus on family and told stories to others and delayed the deliverable.

How I was able to accommodate the accident and made him focus on family without much impact on the deliverable.

The narration almost brought tears in my eyes. Although, to be honest I did not remember any of that till he described it in detail.

He said, he would have never nagged me even if I ve not given him any raise.

Think about unconditional gratitude. Think about how long it lasts.

I learnt a lesson from him today. To count my blessings, and be grateful to people who have shaped my life. Unconditionally !