Leadership lesson from Toastmasters

Being a Human Resource professional, one thing that I never failed to do was to talk to my employees about great leaders who inspired the masses to perform well. I used to prepare PowerPoint presentations filled with leadership lessons stirred by great leaders like Dr. Abdul Kalam, Jack Welch and Mother Teresa. Every month my presentations changed but the desired behavioural changes was never evident among my employees. With all doors closed, I quizzed myself if there was any other way to make my employees become good leaders.

That was the time when I took over as the President of Chennai Toastmasters Club and in the next six months I got the answer to my question.

Initially I thought leading a club that brags of more than 80 members and great speakers was always a cake walk.

Soon I was in for a shock. True to the words, that the devil is in the detail, going through the member’s achievements, all I could see was, there were only handful of good speaker’s and evaluators who have played the dominant role and ensured that the quality of club meetings was kept high. We were at times made to feel handicapped by their absence.

That was the time my team identified few good talents who with little encouragement and opportunity had the potential to become great speaker’s and evaluators.
Those talents always existed in Chennai toastmasters but somehow, somewhere along the path they were not made to unleash their potential.

We as a team spoke to them, encouraged them, and helped them to perform better. Things weren’t as easy as I have penned down. People did fail at times. They wanted to throw their hands up and surrender. But we knew that those failures were needed to create better future for the club. Since then, whenever member’s failed, we lend them the helping hand, encouraged them and provided them the opportunity to excel.
That’s how we created better speakers, better evaluators and better leaders in Chennai toastmasters club.

The greatest leadership lesson I learnt from my term was that “Identify talent; provide them the opportunity and conducive environment to excel. Soon you will be amazed by their achievement”.

Today I no longer prepare leadership presentations for my employees instead I put them on the job, create a conducive environment and encourage them to perform well.
Thanks to toastmasters movement which taught me a leadership lesson that I never learnt even during my management lectures.

It’s pleasure waiting for you

It was 8:30 AM. I walked into South India’s biggest Conglomerate Corporate office to close a deal. My appointment was at 9 AM and felt glad that I maneuvered through Chennai traffic to make it on time. I glanced through few newspapers to while away some time. It was 30 minutes past 10 AM and I was still waiting.. After some time I looked at the watch, now it was almost 12 noon. By now, I had gone through all the papers lying in the reception and was restless. I was totally frustrated with the client for making me wait for almost 3 hours.

I wondered “What pleasure do they get by making me wait?”

That was a Eureka moment for this blog… I have waited for so many things in life and all those waitings have always been a pleasure…

In school, it was a rule that one of the parent must come to pick their children at the stroke of bell. While everyone would leave by 4 PM, my mother always comes late because of her work. She had to transit 2 buses to reach school from my home. The wait for her arrival was filled with irritation then. I used to stand on my feet, putting my head outside the door with my eyes wide open anxiously yearning to see my mother strode to pick me up.. Today as I reminisce that incident I sincerely feel it was a pleasure waiting for my mother :)

During college, we the notorious eight were thick and thin of all the happenings. We used to bunk classes together, play volleyball, strike the snooker balls in Potshot and hang around the city. It was during the 2nd year that one of the naught eight was celebrating his birthday and he treated us in a star hotel. We spoke on various topics which included gossips and confessions {Wonder how all the topics we discussed were always centered around women ;) }.. Over a period of time this star hotel dinner treat was a ritual and we enjoy it to an extent that it cannot be explained but only experienced. Today sitting in this part of the world, I am waiting for one of that dinner to happen. I am not sure if it would be logistically possible for all of us to assemble at one place now but the mere thought of it gives me immense pleasure :)

No two persons are similar, even if so it’s difficult to find them. But Meshak and I have always thought alike atleast in most instances: P. Though being classmates in school, we befriended each other when studying in different colleges. Soon we became close and this 2011, we are celebrating a decade of friendship. Those countless coffee day outings, rambling across besant nagar beach, Cup corns and self depreciating comments we made, ofcourse not to forget those bird-sighting sessions. :) Wow!!! Just too good. He left to US in 2008 and is yet to step into India. Most probably he might be coming this year end for his marriage and I am anxious to see not just him but also his marriage. Surely this wait is a pleasure indeed :)

No one passes by without making an impression in our life. Divya is one among them who has always impressed me. The lady with a sparkling smile, simple yet scintillating dressing sense and a level headed person who always takes genuine interest in me will forever remain special in my life. It took sometime for us to break the ice, but once done we enjoyed each others company. Those little misunderstandings, witty humour sense, exchange of thoughts, little fights, dinner at restaurants and long drives have always strengthened our bonds of friendship. It’s been 4 years since she went for an onsite assignment and I am already feeling her vaccum. I am waiting for her arrival and needless to say this wait is also a pleasure :)

Friends, it’s 1 PM and I hear that the meeting is called off. I am terribly upset with my client yet I think I should thank him for making me wait all along because he has given me a chance to sit back and realize all those worthy wait’s which I cherish and look forward in life.

{Client gives a cock and bull story for not meeting me today}

I shook hands with him and left the place telling “It’s pleasure waiting for you”

What lies behind the Mask?

A beautiful woman clad in dark red saree, hair decorated with jasmine and a bindi that occupied half of her central forehead walked down the street after enjoying the company of her boyfriend, since her husband was out of town. Seeing her, a person told his friend, “Dude, Have you ever watched goddess lakshmi walking down the street? If not, look at her. Wow! I wish to have a wife like her.. infact I wish she was my wife”

At the same time, a girl was fighting against a man who tried to rape her. She fought with a conviction…used the sand, pebbles, few wooden sticks left in the sea shore to save herself from this butcher, in the process she was drenched in the sea water.

Watching this girl walking down the road with the Jeans and white tops that was totally drenched, the same person told his friend, “Dude, Look at this bitch. She is returning after enjoying the day with her boyfriend. I pity her husband”

Friends, like those poor chaps, how many times we judge people just by their outer look. So many times we form opinions just by people’s appearance, structure, the way they speak, clothes they wear, in the manner they carry themselves and other extrinsic characters. We perceive only their face value and never try to see what lies behind the mask.

I was in a similar situation today and told myself, “Share your thought with all your friends :)”.. and that’s why I decided to pen down this post :P

Letter to Prime Minister on Corruption

This letter is nothing short of a far cry of a common man who still believes that a Government of the People, by the people and for the people will not bring his confidence down.

When I went to school, people talked about corruption in terms of thousands, when I entered college it was talked in lakhs, few years later it was in crores and today we see corruption interms of few lakh crores.. I wonder if we need another Ramanujam to invent new number systems for representing the corruption levels in our Country.

Your government won extraordinary elections in 2008 and people who termed you as a “Weak Prime Minister” were defeated. Everyone from Corporate houses to Common man rejoiced your victory with an only belief that India’s Aam aadmi will shine thanks to Mr. Clean occupying the Prime Minister Chair.

The original thought of Left sitting in the opposition, meant that the minimal interference in policy making will take India to higher levels. Within 3 years of occupying this office, Government has indeed taken India to higher levels in terms of mishandling the corrupts and corruption cases.

India scored 3.3 in the World corruption index on a scale of 0 – 10 (0 being the Most corrupt and 10 being corrupt free). We see the Raja’s, Kalmadi’s, Khan’s and other culprits having a free run. Needless to say they are only the last face and big fishes have had their share in the looting. If not for the backing, these guys will not have audacity to act on their wishes.

Today the corruption level is very high that a common man doesn’t understand the figures involved in it. 2G Spectrum Scam has had its money share spread across various beneficiaries like Politicians, Policy Makers, Corporate houses, Brokers etc. I strongly believe that without the support and backing of Big names, Raja could not have done this. Amidst all these fiasco, all we hear from you is no wrong doing in 2G spectrum allocation. What an irony Prime Minister? I strongly believe that you are a person with impeccable integrity; however hiding facts is equivalent to committing a crime. Your silent is a serious concern for the people of this country.

A leader may be of high integrity but if he doesn’t look into the anomaly in his sub-ordinates work, it’s equal to not discharging your duties properly. Do you want to be remembered for that?

Deccan Herald has released a news item on January 9th 2011 which quotes that the original estimate for CWG was Rs. 618 Crores. However approximately Rs. 60000 Crores were spent (Almost 100 times the original estimates) only to see the foot-over bridge collapse in the CWG venue on the eve of your visit. It’s an irony that a bunch of jokers brought the country of billion people to its knees. Its even sadder to not that all accused in CWG are out in bail and enjoying life lavishly.

To me, it sounds weird that in a country were strict actions is taken against a peon/clerk for accepting bribes in the order of 1000’s, why is that culprits who loot in crores are left free.

Inspite of having the support of other countries, why isn’t your Government taking any action against people who have parked billions in tax havens? Why isn’t Hasan Ali Khan arrested and interrogated? I fear that before even the action is taken the individual might move the money from his bank accounts. What is your Government doing on this issue?

It’s unfortunate to note other instances like Adarsh housing scam, S-Band Deal, P J Thomas appointment issues, Scam in bullet proof procurements (Remember the bullet proof that failed to save Hemant Karkare?)

I don’t want to see myself as problem highlighter but solution giver. Find below few points for you to ponder over,

1. Our law is framed in such a way that a person is innocent until he is found guilty. It’s high time we redefine it as “a person is guilty unless he is found innocent”.
2. Let his/her passport along with their kin’s be confiscated
3. All bank accounts of the accused and beneficiaries be freezed
4. If found guilty, all his material wealth be confiscated by the Government
5. Any Educational degree (Indian or Foreign) obtained by his/her kith and kin be deemed invalid.
6. They should be deemed ineligible to register any property or buy wealth in his/her and their descendant’s name.
7. They should not be allowed to hold any post in future
8. They should be declared ineligible for any benefits that may arise out of their stature during their tenure.
9. They should not be allowed to start any business ventures in future.

This may sound ridicule but somehow I feel these types of harsh punishments will help to reduce the corruption in this Country. Fear of Punishment is required today to save the country from selfish pythons.

Prime minister, you were instrumental in avoiding the collapse of Indian Economy in 1991. You came up with bold decisions and drafted new policies that orchestrated India’s Growth story. After 2 decades, we are today in need of similar bold decisions and new policy to eradicate corruption. I may not be competent to advice but I wish to tell you this, Please do not succumb to coalition politics pressure, we don’t see you as a politician. Listen to your inner conscience, fix the urgent needs of the country.. Else step down. Don’t allow, history to remember you as a person who derelict the voice of billion Indians.

Remember “India is not suffering due to the violence of many people but due to the silence of few people like you”

Evolution

“You are a tough nut to crack man” my friend said with genuine interest on me…

I have been contemplating over that comment of hers for sometime now…

I am not just happy because it came from her but I feel really proud of myself in the way I have evolved over the last 5 years… Disappointments, betrayals, hurt, Cheating, Embarrassments, back-stabbing – Every time tears roll down my eyes, I asked God “Why me?”.. I seek answers from my friends, loved one’s, well-wishers, self-help books, even under the bottle of whiskey ;) Little did I know the answer lies within me. I recognized, all that made me cry converges to one point.. “MY EXPECTATIONS WERE NOT MET”

That was a Eureka moment. Probably a revelation too.. I realized that expectations led to disappointments. Since then I make it a point not to have any expectations from anyone, even my akin.

At the same time, I ensure that I am available for anyone when they need me, to share their joy with me, to vent out their emotions or to lean & cry because I strongly believe that the poorest of poor are those who don’t have companion to share their feelings. I ensure no one is left poor in my backyard.

You might think “What big deal? It’s a small things”.

All I wish to say is, in life, SMALL THINGS MEAN A LOT :)