Friday, June 13, 2008

Pleasure vs Happiness

Pleasure vs. Happiness

Pleasure is great-but it doesn’t last. Pleasure comes from your five senses. From a great meal, a nice glass of wine and a new car. Nothing wrong with these things-they make the experience of life better. But they are fleeting.

Happiness, well, that’s a different story. Happiness is the DNA of pleasure. My point is simply this: Pleasure comes from something on the outside. Happiness comes from within. It’s a state you create by choice. It’s a decision. It’s an act of will.

People can be happy when they are going through great pain and adversity. There is no pleasure evident in their external lives and yet they are content on the inside. And, conversely, tons of people are surrounded by pleasure (fast cars, nice homes, great clothes) but there is no joy within. So choose to be happy. You can’t control life on the outside. Hard stuff will happen. But you can control what goes on inside. And those who do become great.

[Excerpt from “The Greatness Guide”, by Robin Sharma]


Posted by dilipprakash at 07:32:57 | Permalink | Comments (3)

WHY EMPLOYEES LEAVE ORGANIZATIONS ?….views by WIPRO CEO

WHY EMPLOYEES LEAVE ORGANISATIONS ?
- Azim Premji, CEO- Wipro

Every company faces the problem of people leaving the company for better pay or profile.

Early this year, Mark, a senior software designer, got an offer from a prestigious international firm to work in its India operations developing specialized software. He was thrilled by the offer.

He had heard a lot about the CEO. The salary was great. The company had all the right systems in place employee-friendly human resources (HR) policies, a spanking new office,and the very best technology, even a canteen that served superb food.

Twice Mark was sent abroad for training. “My learning curve is the sharpest it’s ever been,” he said soon after he joined.

Last week, less than eight months after he joined, Mark walked out of the job.

 



Why did this talented employee leave?

Arun quit for the same reason that drives many good people away.

The answer lies in one of the largest studies undertaken by the Gallup Organization. The study surveyed over a million employees and 80,000 managers and was published in a book called “First Break All The Rules”. It came up with this surprising finding:

If you’re losing good people, look to their manager…. manager is the reason people stay and thrive in an organization. And he’s the reason why people leave. When people leave they take knowledge, experience and contacts with them, straight to the competition.

“People leave managers not companies,” write the authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman.

Mostly manager drives people away?

HR experts say that of all the abuses, employees find humiliation the most intolerable. The first time, an employee may not leave, but a thought has been planted. The second time that thought gets strengthened. The third time, he looks for another job.

When people cannot retort openly in anger, they do so by passive aggression. By digging their heels in and slowing down. By doing only what they are told to do and no more. By omitting to give the boss crucial information. Dev says: “If you work for a jerk, you basically want to get him into trouble. You don ‘t have your heart and soul in the job.”

Different managers can stress out employees in different ways - by being too controlling, too suspicious, too pushy, too critical, but they forget that workers are not fixed assets, they are free agents. When this goes on too long, an employee will quit - often over a trivial issue.

Posted by dilipprakash at 07:31:56 | Permalink | No Comments »

Office Memo To: All Employees

To: All Employees

Dear Staff,
It is advised that you come to work dressed according to your salary. If we see you wearing Prada sneakers and carrying a Gucci bag we assume that you are doing well financially and therefore you do not need a raise. If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you may buy nicer clothes and therefore you do not need a raise. If you dress in-between, you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a raise.

Personal Days:
Each employee will receive 104 personal days a year. They are called Saturday and Sunday.

Lunch Breaks:
Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch as they need to eat more so that they can look healthy. Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balanced meal to maintain their average size. Fat people get 5 minutes for lunch, because that’s all the time needed to drink a Slim Fast and take a diet pill.

 

Sick Days:
We will no longer accept a doctor statement as proof of sickness. If you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.

Restroom Use:
Entirely too much time is being spent in the restroom. There is now a strict 3 minute time limit in the stalls. At the end of 3 minutes, an alarm will sound, the toilet pater roll will retract, the stall door will open and a picture will be taken. After your second offense, your picture will be posted on the company bulletin board under the “Chronic Offender” category.

Surgery:
As long as you are employed here, you need all your organs. You should not consider removing anything. We hired you intact. To have something removed will constitute a breach of employment.

Thank you for your loyalty to our company. We are here to provide a positive employment experience. Therefore, all questions, comments, concerns, complaints, frustrations, irritations, aggravations, insinuations, allegations, accusations, contemplation, and input should be directed elsewhere.

Have a nice week.

Posted by dilipprakash at 07:26:59 | Permalink | No Comments »

A Leader Should Know How to Manage Failure

(Former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam at Wharton India Economic forum , Philadelphia , March 22,200 8)

Question: Could you give an example, from your own experience, of how leaders should manage failure?

Kalam: Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973 I became the project director of India ’s satellite launch vehicle program, commonly called the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India ’s “Rohini” satellite into orbit by 1980. I was given funds and human resources — but was told clearly that by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people worked together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal.

By 1979 — I think the month was August — we thought we were ready. As the project director, I went to the control center for the launch. At four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer began to go through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute later, the computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed that some control components were not in order. My experts — I had four or five of them with me — told me not to worry; they had done their calculations and there was enough reserve fuel. So I bypassed the computer, switched to manual mode, and launched the rocket. In the first stage, everything worked fine. In the second stage, a problem developed. Instead of the satellite going into orbit, the whole rocket system plunged into the Bay of Bengal . It was a big failure.


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That day, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, Prof. Satish Dhawan, had called a press conference. The launch was at 7:00 am, and the press conference — where journalists from around the world were present — was at 7:45 am at ISRO’s satellite launch range in Sriharikota [in Andhra Pradesh in southern India ]. Prof. Dhawan, the leader of the organization, conducted the press conference himself. He took responsibility for the failure — he said that the team had worked very hard, but that it needed more technological support. He assured the media that in another year, the team would definitely succeed. Now, I was the project director, and it was my failure, but instead, he took responsibility for the failure as chairman of the organization.

The next year, in July 1980, we tried again to launch the satellite — and this time we succeeded. The whole nation was jubilant. Again, there was a press conference. Prof. Dhawan called me aside and told me, “You conduct the press conference today.”
I learned a very important lesson that day. When failure occurred, the leader of the organization owned that failure. When success came, he gave it to his team. The best management lesson I have learned did not come to me from reading a book; it came from that experience.

–
“Life can only be understood backwards but
It must be lived forward. ”

Posted by dilipprakash at 07:24:28 | Permalink | No Comments »

Strength and Beauty

Strength of a Man

The strength of a man isn’t seen in the width of his shoulders.
It is seen in the width of his arms that encircle you.
The strength of a man isn’t in the deep tone of his voice.
It is in the gentle words he whispers.
The strength of a man isn’t how many buddies he has.
It is how good a buddy he is with his kids.
The strength of a man isn’t in how respected he is at work.
It is in how respected he is at home.
The strength of a man isn’t in how hard he hits..
It is in how tender he touches.
The strength of a man isn’t how many women he’s Loved by.
It is in can he be true to one woman.
The strength of a man isn’t in the weight he can lift.
It is in the burdens he can understand and overcome.


Beauty of a Woman

The beauty of a woman
Is not in the clothes she wears,
The figure she carries,
Or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman
Must be seen from her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart,
The place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman
Is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty in a woman
Is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
The passion that she shows,
The beauty of a woman
With passing years-only grows.

Lucky is the man who is the first love of a woman,
but luckier is the woman who is the last love of a man

Posted by dilipprakash at 07:20:40 | Permalink | No Comments »

Tamil woman in U.S.(its FUNNY) .. read it when u r free

The following is an excerpt from a blog (written by an Indian in America )
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
En per padum paadu!!!
My full name is Kalaivani, but I call myself Kalai. This is not for scene, ….like how Madhavan does in Anbe Sivam (Anbarasu –> Ars).it has a looooong and pathetic history…
I started hearing different versions of my name after coming to this country, and the painful fact is all the possible permutations and combinations of vowels in my name give meaningful words in tamil!!!
When I first joined the university, my professor wrote to me..
Dear KALAvani (meaning: thief; context: kalavani paya..)
…. … …
Sari adhuvachum typo nu free ya vittudalam..
Then after a year, I joined a company for internship.those people called me before I joined, to inform me about some test which I had to take..
“Hello is this Ms. Kizhavaani?” (meaning: old; context : kizha bolt..etc.)
“No..this is KALAIvaani”
“Ohh..am sorry KALAvaani” (Marupadiyum. ..)
Then I decided.periya pera irukkinala thane ivlo confusion?!! So, I started calling myself ‘Kalai’… but the story continued..
I joined my full-time position in another company recently. On my first day, we had a meeting..
“Let’s all welcome our new associate.Ms. Kulai” (meaning: bunch; context: kulai kulaiyai vazhaipazham kaaithadhu)
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! CLAP! Followed by smiles.
(Dei.ennangada. .. ellarum serndhu comedy panreengala? ??)
Anniku arambichadhu. ..
Once my boss and I were talking about a project… after finishing the meeting…
“Ok, Kali. Nice to have you here!” (meaning: last yuga; context: kali muthi pochu.)
“That’s KALAI” (Enakku idhu thevaya?!)
“Ohh kAALi?” (meaning: goddess; context: badrakaali.. )
“Hee hee .very close” (Podaannnggg. ..!!)
So, I stopped correcting my name after that..!
One fine morning, I was working.
“Hey kiLai (meaning: branch; context: marakiLai) .howz it going?”
“Yea good” (Sollitu thirumbitten. Nammaluku edhuku indha per thiruthura business nu…)
“Is that how you say your name?”
(Aaahaa arambichutanya. ..!!!)
“Uhhh. It’s KALAI”
“Kolaai?” (meaning:pump; context: kozhai adi sandai.)
(Venaaammm.. .)
“Kolai?” (meaning: murder; context: kolai panniduven.. )
(Venaam!)
“kaLai?” (meaning: weed; context: kaLai pudunguradhu.)
(Valikkudhu. .. azhudhuduven. ..)
“May be I’ll get your name with practice. Haha.”
(Idhellam remba over da dei… Tamil la paatha rende rendu ezhuthu thaan da!!!)

Ennada, Chandramukhi la thalaivar ‘durga’ perai nakkaladikkira maathiri… namma per ayiduche nu nenaikkum podhu… my friend came up with a brilliant idea!
Adhavadhu… to compare my name with a word.so I started using this word ‘kaleidoscope’ ; which has the same pronunciation as ‘kalai’!
So, I started telling everyone. ‘Kalai as in kaleidoscope’ !. Ippo kooda romba ellam ozhunga solradhulla. They are saying ‘kalaai’ (kalaaikiradhu)..
“Hey Kalaai!!”
“Yea?”
“Just trying to say your name. Ha ha ha”
“Ohhh ..how sweet!” (thooo thEri..)
Yedho vaandhi edukkira effect la per irundhalum.. . my life was in peace… until few days back…
My net connection was down, so I called up the customer service (En kiragam. Madras call center ku pochu!)
Enakku andha vishayame theriyala. So I started in complete American accent…
“Your name ma’am?”
“Kalaai”
“What? Can you repeat ma’am?”
“ Kalaai as in kaleidoscope”
“I didn’t get that ma’am. Can I have your number? I can check the records”
(Sigh!… and gave the number)
“Ohh, Kalaivani, right?” (in a sarcastic tone.)
( Ada paavi makka… nee nammooora??! !! All American accents stopped. Back to Indian accent.)
I could clearly see what he was thinking… per paatha ‘urs pammingly’ nu podra category maathiri irukku… scene podradhu mattum princess Diana range kaa…
“Anna… naan sathyama andha maathiri illeeengana. ..

Posted by dilipprakash at 07:15:46 | Permalink | No Comments »

FOR THOSE TRAVELING ABROAD from India

 

I received this communication from a friend.  I do not know the degree of authenticity but seems very very dangerous if it is true. But it is better to be careful.

 

Subject: FOR THOSE TRAVELING ABROAD.

Dear All
Here is the fact, pl read it carefully
Be Careful at the Indian Airports, This is a well organized conspiracy by Indian Immigration, Police, Customs and Air India staff with networking at all the Indian International Airports. Be careful when ever you give your passport to Immigration/ Customs/Air India staff. The pass port can be easily tampered and can create trouble to you. They have found easy way of making money from NRIs. This is the way it works:

At the time of the passenger’s departure, if the passenger is not looking at the officer while he is stamping the exit, the officer very cleverly tears away one of the page from the passport. When the passenger leaves the immigration counter, the case is reported on his computer terminal with full details. Now all over India they have got full details of the passenger with Red Flag flashing on the Passport number entered by the departure immigration officer. They have made their money by doing above. On arrival next time, he is interrogated. Subject to the passenger’s period of stay abroad, his income and standing etc., the price to get rid of the problem is settled by the Police and Immigration people. If someone argues, his future is spoiled because there are always some innocent fellows who think the honesty is the basis of getting justice in India ….

Please advises every passenger to be careful at the airport. Whenever they hand over the passport to the counters of Air India, or immigration or the customs, they must be vigilant, should not remove eyes from the passport even if the officer in front tries to divert their attention. Also, please pass this information to all friends, media men and important politicians. Every month 20-30 cases are happening all over India to rob the NRIs the minute he lands. Similar case has happened with Aramco’s Arifuddin. He was traveling with his family. They had six passports. They got the visa of America and decided to go via Hyderabad from Jeddah. They reached Hyderabad. Stayed about a month and left for the States. When they reached the States, the page of the American visa on his wife’s passport was missing. At the time of departure from Hyderabad it was there, the whole family had to return to Hyderabad helplessly. On arrival at Bombay back, they were caught by the police and now it is over 2 months, they are running after the Police, Immigration officers and the Courts. On going in to details with him, he found out the following: One cannot imagine, neither can believe, that the Indian Immigration dept can play such a nasty game to harass the innocent passengers.

All the passengers traveling to & fro India via Bombay and Hyderabad must be aware of this conspiracy. Every month 15 to 20 cases are taking place, at each mentioned airport, of holding the passengers in the crime of tearing away the passport pages. On interviewing some of them, none of them was aware of what had happened. They don’t know why, when and who tore away the page from the middle of the passport. One can imagine the sufferings of such people at the hands of the immigration, police and the court procedures in India after that. The number of cases is increasing in the last 2-3 years. People who are arriving at the immigration, they are questioned and their passports are being held and they have to go in interrogation. Obviously, the conspiracy started about 2 to 3 years ago, now the results are coming. Some of the Air India counter staff too is involved in this conspiracy.

KINDLY SEND THIS TO AS MANY AS YOUR FRIENDS ACROSS THE WORLD AND ALSO REQUEST THEM TO CHECK THE PASSPORT AT THE CHECKING COUNTERS AND BEFORE LEAVING THE AIRPORT

Posted by dilipprakash at 07:11:16 | Permalink | No Comments »