Kindness Missing

In moments or phases of success and achievement we forget the importance of care and consideration towards others. Being in a business school, I witness so many such people who are so competitive when it comes to academics but fail miserably when it comes to compassion and taking time out for others. I don’t mean to say that they are not humble and I am not trying to generalize this sort of behavior. My attempt is to throw some light on and try and find out why some people turn so rude and in human when people look up to them for some kind of support and comfort. I am not asking them to be what a mother is to her child, all I am requesting them is to understand and appreciate the importance of staying human. In a world driven by money and time, a place where people don’t have time for each other and a time when the no of old age homes and juvenile criminals is on the rise, I don’t understand as to why people think they are invincible. Why don’t they understand that the day is not too far away when they are stripped off all their royal attires and will stand naked against the mighty wind and all that can save and comfort their soul is – Kindness.

I am not asking people not to be honest and express their true sentiments. I am only requesting them to put themselves in the opponent’s shoes and try and understand what they are going through. When somebody is down in the dumps it is only logical that you don’t go and tell them that – “You are such a loser and I knew it right from the start.” Given that we are managers in the making it is very important that we develop this attitude and ability to appreciate others EMOTIONAL NEEDS. I am convinced that as we go along the only thing that technology cannot predict or replace will be EMOTIONS and that would be THE differentiating factor.

The power of Silence

“You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts. For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly.” – Khalil Gibran

Wise words from a wise man. What are the implications of that sentence in this fast moving world? In this context what comes to mind is another proverb – “Empty Vessels make more noise.” There are many other regional sayings stressing on the need to remain silent and how wise men are mostly men of very few words. I wondered what SILENCE means and how do we interpret this in this world where cell phones are ubiquitous and have changed the way we communicate.

Everyone wants to be heard. Now-a-days the one with the loudest voice is the one who wins the arguments. You impress people at work by making most noise of the least significant piece of work. In colleges those who can market their actions ( however insignificant and unimportant they may be) are the ones who get noticed. In between all this, do we all understand what silence is? or is it that phenomenon which takes place on the 30th of January to pay homage to perhaps one person who had truly understood the power of silence .

According to the dictionary, Silence can be defined as – ” The absence of sound; stillness. ” How many of us would have actually experienced(lets say today) the STILLNESS around us. Did we actually stop and notice the moon up in the sky or did we take pleasure in the way the breeze caressed our silent souls. I am sure most of us ( including yours truly) would have been too BUSY or caught up in our own noisy world to be affected by such trivial factors. This I believe has serious repercussions.

For instance, the need to retaliate emerges from this basic need to respond.. the inherent urge to produce noise and not think one bit about what complications it may cause. Its just about he said something and I have to produce at least an equal if not higher decibel level. Those who remain silent or take their tone down to a lower decibel level are termed as losers. Its a scientific fact that a major cause for break ups are the refusal to listen to the other person.

In this backdrop, I believe that we are going through a monumental period in our country. We were always people who loved to communicate with each other, be it striking a conversation with a stranger in a bus stand or bitch about the government in a public park. We had that people touch to it. But of late, the warmth of communication is eroding and what was once a strength might become our major weakness. It is in moments like these that we need to seriously think… What if I am silent?

Note: Try controlling your urge to comment immediately. Ask yourself if it was better to remain silent

One year at the B school

I cant believe that I am done with 10 months in this wonderful campus and as my senior batch packs their bags and bounties I wonder… What does all this add up to?

One of the very few things that I was asked to keep in mind before coming to this school was to make sure that I don’t lose my identity (virginity deserves a separate blog ) during the course of these 2 years. I think that, that is the best piece of advice you could ever give to anybody entering such a professionally competitive setup. I was lucky to have that advice and I should say that I am lucky enough to still maintain my identity.

So what is Identity? In German you could call it Eigenschaft. (The word Eigen Vectors has its origin from this word). We go through this constant process of change and adjustment and hence most of you might wonder what exactly identity is all about? Well I have long pondered about the same.. what do you mean by preserving one’s identity. Its one of those questions which leaves me grappling in the dark. I was finally able to get to terms with this question with this analogy and only time will tell if this is the right kinda one.

Every organization has its own Mission statement and then has a lot of organizational objectives. These organizational objectives can keep changing but the basic purpose of the Firm.. its Mission should not. And every firm tries to stick to its mission. The successful firms are those which change with time but align their actions in line with their mission statement. Similarly, all of us have a basic identity.. which just cant be changed or rather should not be changed. and if we are able to move along with Time keeping in tune with our identity I am sure that there is only one way that we will be able to take and that would be the path of success.

Sadly, I find that a lot of people have lost focus and are lost in the myriad of options and give into circumstantial pressures. They are confused between Means and Ends and end up looking at the ends irrespective of the fact that they are treading a path which seems rosy but is just a trial version of things to come.

Hopefully they will awaken to the situation and take corrective action. But the problem is that the End is so damn attractive that the means no longer matter.

Summer Placements

If I remember right, on Nov 19th there were 1,90,000 people competing with me for the 100 odd seats (OC category) at IIM-B. There was so much pressure and expectation… and it was reasonable..cause all of us were trying to get a toe hold into one of the premier business institutes and once we are there..we can be rest assured of an amazing career… we would no longer have to fight for a job..we would have choices.. we would choose our own destiny…we would be in control… we would dream on……

I made it. Yes, with my limited IQ and EQ i somehow managed to impress the interviewers and along with 263 other people i was poised to create a wonderful life for myself. There was joy around me..it would not be wrong if i said that the moment i got an admission letter..i was JOY… ich werde freude… i somehow took joy along wherever i went… There was never a moment in my life where i felt so important.. I thought i had achieved something 180000 people could not achieve..

But…. i was wrong.. the joy was ephemeral.. the moment i landed here i figured how competition is itself a competition for competition..and the concept of Day 0 was thus born……

If you remember i had said that I thought that I could choose my destiny..well if you could get hold of a rubber as big as this wide universe.then I need it … cos that thought is completely wrong. My joy was short-lived.

It all started on a Sunday morning (of all days). It was 11-11-07..and the lions were let loose. There was enough to feast on.. and it was just a matter of time till each of us had our share of the booty. I could not sleep the previous day. I went to bed around midnight but caught up with sleep only around 3 am.

My interview began around 10 ish in the morning and by 11 10 I had an offer in hand and I accepted it cos that was my only Day zero call and rules prevented me declining a Day zero offer. The process itself is so complex that there is a large element of luck. Starting from when you interview with a particular firm to the fact that who goes in before you!! But to think of it, placing 100 odd people in less than 10 hours is not that easy and Luck’s role is inevitable. To their credit, those who were running the show showed tremendous amount of dedication and commitment. There were instances when by the third day some placement representatives had developed swelling in their toes and cramps. But the best part was, the show had to go on and they performed their part.. It was indeed inspirational.. Most of our perceptions regarding the placement cell underwent a 180 degree change. Yes, there were a few who thought that if not for this random process they would have been placed in better companies. I could have been on of them.. but all i can say is that, it was not by design. The whole process is designed in such a way that there are bound to be casualties. I know it is easy writing when you arent one of them. But the sooner we come to terms with this the better it is.. Nobody said summers was a true reflection of your capabilities.. in fact.. I never imagined that i would become an Investment Banker… My heart said Marketing and I prepared a consult oriented resume..but such is the way of life.. there are things that happen and we have no control over them.. its best to treat them in an objective fashion and learn to move on..

Coming back to people involved in the process.. There was this classmate of mine who was a stud… amazingly knowledgeable and hardworking.. He/She had about 7-8 day zero calls..but he got placed only on the second day of placements.. How could anybody explain such discrepancies? There was one more thing that I realized… Summers is all about Personals!! You need to be effective communicators..and the fact that IIM B is going to place more importance on English skills is a move in the right direction!!!

On the whole placements is a random process where three things play a major role :
1. Your level of Confidence / preparedness
2. Your communication skills
3. A little bit of luck!!

One important thing to keep in Mind during placements is that.. DAY ZERO is not everything.. Companies like PnG went back empty handed cos they did not find suitable candidates for their marketing division. It is very important not to get swayed by peer pressure and choices..yes it is easy to say…but trust me it is very important to stay connected with your inner self…. in fact…somebody once told me… the best thing that could happen to anybody in a B-School is.. to finish the course and come out with your individuality intact.. It is a struggle…a struggle between wannabe images and your own self… and sadly.. its the former that ends up winning in most of the cases… Yes,,,people wont agree..but that is the fact…

The Missed Call

I called you
You did not pick up
Guess you were busy doing something
But i was busy thinking of you
No wonder it was a call to signify that i missed you – A missed call

Mother’s Touch

The Caring hand which feeds you when you are Hungry
The Soft hand which puts you to sleep when your Enervated
The Stern hand which wakes you up to head for School
The Helping hand which leads you through gloomy circumstances
The hand that can touch you so tenderly that your eyes begin to swell
The hand which gives you all it can hold and yet never expects anything in return
The hand of your Mother.
I wish I could recollect as to how it felt when I first grasped my Mother’s Hand. Can you?

I was in Love

On a Cold Winter night
I had my first sight
Her radiant eyes were sucking out all my energy leaving me
Paralysed and Stranded on the road
My soul was burning with want
My body was numb due to the cold
Imaginations bodied forth..
Time stopped to flow..
When i finally saw the clock tick..
i realised that I realised that i loved her no more….

Peace

He who has no Mother is devoid of any affection or care
He who has no Father loses his Identity
He who has no Money loses his Status
He who has no Friends loses Support
He who has none of the above loses Happiness
He who has no Peace loses HIMSELF

Love’s Share of Pain

I once vistied a Garden called “The Garden Of Life”
there were many flowers
amdist these colourful and attractive flowers
there was a flower which was captivating and attractive
My hands twiched to hold these flowers and take it home
The dew drops on the rosy petals accelerated my desire to own the flower
but, the moment I touched it I felt excruciating pain..
I was taken aback..
how come something this beautiful causes so much pain
Slowly images flashed across my mind
I was consumed by nauseating memories of LOVE
it was then I saw beauty thro pain..
For every rose has its thorn

Wind of Change

The world is closing in
Then blows the wind of change
the future lies in the air
I can feel it everywhere
Dream said my heart
realize said my mind
Wiaking down the street
Distant memories
Im buried in the past
Change me..take me to the moment of glory
where time stops to flow
you and me
clutching to the thread of hope
then blows the wind of change

Torn apart by the wind of change
withered memories
I’m buried in the past
and finally – the wind arrives carrying your kisses
and drops them at my doorstep
filling my house with the aroma of your sweet perfume
I wake up to the present
starved of your kisses I am lost in your thoughts
slowly I realise that the kisses are fast running out
I dont want to exhale in the fear
that you will be no more 
I wish time stopped
or even better…
I dont want to exhale
I would rather inhale the warm scent of your perfume
and hold it within me forever..
then blew the wind of change……….