My Ramblings..

What to do with life?

2011-09-14T10:09:00.002-04:00

The inspiration for this post from a friend of mine who posted on Facebook that it would be good to have a dead line for life as well so that we can plan things in a better way like we do for project management.
I neither agree or disagree with that. Here is my view. Life is not a single project. It is like air permeating the atmosphere, changing every second, every day. I am not sure whether that is a good analogy but what I mean is that life changes every second however small it is. We can not plan for every second or every day of life.

That doesn't mean we shouldn't plan for life. But planning comes only after we know what do we want to achieve or do. This could be as simple as travelling the world (my goal for life) or becoming a CEO or a politician. I understand coming up with a goal for life is not that simple. And there could be more than one goal for life. In my case, I love Math, Finance, Arts, Astronomy, Archaeology, Geology, Travel. It's hard to do everything in a world that rewards specialization. So, I would say take one as a profession and others as a hobbies. Obviously the profession takes priority over the others.

For someone with a goal to travel the world, one should understand that it cannot be done in a day or year (unless you leave your job and go around the world). One should break that into a goal of visiting one country/region once a year or may be once in 2 years. For someone who wants to become a CEO, one should know the path. Obviously one cannot become a CEO after being an Analyst or Manager for a couple of years. It takes years of hard work and a bit of luck. One should have patience and the ingenuity to overcome the challenges. Being a CEO may sound more glamorous but it comes with a lot of responsibility and expectations from everyone. Of course, you can be a CEO if you start a company of your own. Many of today's large organizations were founded by people who were visionaries.

Instead of asking the question what to do with life, I believe one should engage in an activity that they like. Then it becomes more than a time filling activity. Finally, human mind is a wild horse. One needs to tame it diligently or it can take the self in the wrong direction and could become the enemy of the self itself.

The one mantra to tell yourself when you face a difficult situation is "Do the right thing".

What is an MBA worth?

2011-08-25T18:50:00.002-04:00

I am sure this is not a new question but when the economy goes into recession, every MBA or an aspiring MBA candidate asks themselves this question or someone close to them asks it.

Here is my view on it: An MBA is worth what you can make out of it. I know many people who changed their careers through the MBA route. We also know many who succeeded without an MBA. It's not an expense but an investment in future. An MBA shows you the path but it doesn't guarantee anything. In a recession, MBAs don't get as many options as they otherwise would get. Many MBA programs have courses on emotional intelligence, leadership and the soft skills required in the organizations. But many students focus more on the quantitative based courses (Finance, Marketing etc..). Once they take up employment, they slowly realize that the soft skills required (networking, presentation, communication) are as important if not more important than the quantitative skills. MBAs do get some exposure to time management, presentation, team skills and networking. They should try to build on these as they go.

More than anything else, an MBA gives someone the skills required to execute on a project or assignment and there by helps to build confidence. The mantra is to give your best at work and there by build a brand so that colleagues know that you can do the job better than anyone else they know.

Thinking On Your Feet

2011-08-02T08:29:00.017-04:00

I came across an interesting post on NYTimes. It's an interview with Arkadi Kuhlmann, then the Chairman and President of ING Direct USA. His advice to someone who is going to become a CEO for the first time? "The one thing that you’re going to have to work on is being able to think on your feet. If you didn’t grow up as a street kid, you’d better start thinking like a street kid, because you’re going to have lots of surprises." He continues:

1. People are always testing you. People are always watching you. You are always on. You have to understand that everything’s being interpreted, and you have to keep thinking in two and three dimensions.

2. The only reason you’re going to be a leader is because people are going to follow you, and they’re only going to follow you if they have confidence in you. And the No. 1 job of a C.E.O. is to eliminate doubt. My only job, really, is to eliminate doubt in every situation.

3. If we have this meeting, somewhere in the meeting or at the end of the meeting, they’re going to look to you because you’re the C.E.O., and they’re going to say, is there any doubt? There may be disagreements, different views, but people need confidence. Companies need confidence, and that’s a big part of my role.
See my previous article on Confidence.

source:http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/business/31corner.html

Confidence

2011-08-01T11:24:00.002-04:00

There is an interesting article on HBR about how to build confidence. Many of us progressed through a lot schooling at various levels. At the end of the day, education can only do so much. It does train you for where to look for answers or how to solve for an answer. It doesn't train you so much on such nuances as being confident. Everyone says Be Confident! But how do you build confidence. Unfortunately, there is no magic mantra to build confidence. We felt confident facing an exam when we were prepared. But how can you prepare for the uncertainty in the business world? You can't. That's what uncertainty, ain't it? Having said that, you have to hone your tools and skills as much as possible to face uncertainty.

The top 3 mantra to build confidence.

1. Know what you know. Don't pretend. No one is supposed to know everything and you can always search on Google for answers.

2. Take up assignments that require something you have not done before. Once you successfully complete that, it boosts your confidence not just because you know you achieved something but also because others respect your skills and that improves your confidence.

3. Don't hesitate to ask for help. We are supposed to work in teams anyway. Read my article here on how to build trust.

Golf

2011-07-15T18:34:00.002-04:00

I did not write for a while (I think we can call "2 years" a while). Life changed a bit since I posted last time, may be a lot. First, I became a management consultant. Second, I got married. Third, my outlook/perspective is evolving in a direction I am pleased of.

I started following golf recently. As many out there think, I thought it was not as exciting as other fast paced games (like Tennis). I love watching tennis especially when Rafa plays. I think he is the best player of all times (If Federer is the all time best, well Rafa has a record of 17:8 against Federer). Coming back to Golf, my interest in the sport started off on a recent job assignment. I started off with the John Deere classic, during which Steve Stricker won the tournament with a birdie putt. It was amazing to watch it.

The sport requires meticulous attention to detail. You have to understand the wind speed, the slope and may other small details. I went onto youtube and watched some of the best golf shots and this one became my favorite. It could be my all time favorite: 2005 Masters. I am not sure whether Tiger knows geometry well or not but he knows golf. "In your life, have you seen anything like that". Tiger Woods. I knew he is a great golfer. But now I understand why. as one of the commentators in another video says: "The moment it had to be done, he does it". "It was the essence of Tiger. That's what he lives for. These situations to prove and reprove himself". I get inspired whenever I see this video and listen to those lines. Golf is so similar to life in general (many sports in general but I believe Golf is resembles closely ). You may be the leader one day and the next day you could be struggling.

The essence is "give 100%". You may become the best today, if not, there is a always a tomorrow. The great players (people in general) have that little bit extra that wins!!! Finally Tiger says: "You need to execute the golf shot exactly the way you need to because there is no other choice".

The speed of trust

2009-06-30T09:17:00.006-04:00

Before we leave this topic, I would like to highlight one of the latest books on this topic - The Speed of Trust, written by Stephen M.R. Covey, son of Stephen R. Covey (author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®).

At a high level, Covey talks about two important elements of building trust: 1. Character and 2. Competence.

One has to have have high integrity to be trusted by others. But that's not sufficient. Even if one has high values and integrity but could not deliver on the results required, one will not be able to build trust. On the other hand, if one is very competitive and delivers or even over delivers but doesn't have high integrity, he/she will not be able to climb the career or social ladder and will be left out as an intelligent but not trustworthy person. It summarizes the whole concept.

Other highlight from the book is Self Trust. It may sound like a Self-Help concept. But it is not so. Self-Trust is about keeping the commitments one makes to oneself. Whether it is about hitting the gym for one hour everyday or getting up at 5 AM in the morning, if we one doesn't keep commitments he/she made it to the self, it is hard to make others believe that you can deliver on the results they want.

Here is a summary of the book.

How to build trust

2009-06-15T15:28:00.005-04:00

As we realize by now, building trust is the first step in forming good relationships. I wish I have a shortcut formula to build trust to tell you guys. But, there is none as far as I know. From my experience, there are three important elements in building trust:

1. Keep your word: Small or big, one has to keep one's word. It may be just a small word as "I will call you over the weekend". People form quick opinions based on small incidents and broken promises.
It's not easy for us to keep our word as the world gets more cluttered, people get busy and flooded with information. We forget things amid this information overload. Managing oneself better (There is nothing called managing time. There are only 24 hours whatever way you see) can help to keep track of the important things.

Another important consideration is managing expectations. Some people say "Under Promise, Over Deliver". I personally don't like this way of working. I try to be candid about the constraints and give a realistic picture. From my experience, I did stretch myself because of some over promised goals, but most of the time my managers did appreciate it.

2. Be vulnerable: How does some people can never get close to their Bosses or Kids or Friends? If you take it piece by piece how the relationships in those situations work, they are most of the time one way streets. Bosses don't encourage criticism (need not be criticism on professional front but just a joke on boss's home basket ball team).

The same rule applies with friends as well. Your friends or whoever you want to build a relationship with should feel that they can criticize you or comment on your work, your way of doing things, something that you did. Hidden feelings don't help to build a stronger relationship.
From my personal experience, being vulnerable is really important to building relationships. Many of the relationships fall short of becoming great ones because the conversations in those always involve plain talk or praise and no criticism. By criticism, I don't mean just serious stuff. It can be just a comment on his/her poker skills or memory or Racquetball skills. Unless you feel comfortable to go to that level, you can take it for granted that the relationship is not a strong one.

3. Last but not least, Be Kind and Generous: At one or other point of time all of us make mistakes. We argue. We disagree. Be kind to others and forgive their mistakes. Even if it is their mistake, take the first step in bridging the gap. Forgiving takes a lot of strength as one has to come over the emotional barrier that the other person should come to you first.

Be generous. I would not have been able to pursue my MBA without the help of many of my friends, before and during my MBA. Some of them I have known for 15 years, others just for a year. Help people before they reach the heights. It creates a sense of loyalty. I have an uncle who visited me when I joined the MBA program. He took me around to show the places. He called me up regularly to inquire about how was I doing? For my second year, he arranged a friend (I never met or spoke with this cosigner before) his to cosign my huge loan.

Now, whatever the news I hear about my professional or personal life, my uncle is the first one to know.

The top 3 secrets of networking

2009-06-01T09:58:00.009-04:00

If you are like Einstein or Newton working on your own in a small room, trying to prove something scientific that no one else understood, you don't have to network. Wait, can you really do experiments with out the help of others any more?

For the rest of us who are not Einsteins and Newtons of the world, a network is the biggest asset we have got. Many a number of students, MBAs especially from Asian countries dread the word Networking. It sends a negative signal to many of them. As an international student in the U.S, I have got my stories of networking gone well and gone awful. In retrospection, there are 3 secrets to networking that I would like to share with the students or anyone in general.

1. Networking is based on TRUST. This is the most important point that many of us miss. We treat networking as an evil thing that is inevitable. If you start with that mindset you will be doomed. Networking is not just any other activity to spend time and think that you have done your part. Networking is based on mutual trust. The person you are talking to always asks himself one question during your initial conversations: Can I trust this guy/girl? Is he genuine? And when you ask a favor, the person asks himself whether he can put his name on the line for you.

So, always approach the people genuinely. Make your point clear and don't have any hidden agendas. Especially if you are an MBA, most people you come in contact with are highly qualified and intelligent. Build trust through intelligent conversations. Yes, it takes time. That's the first secret. Networking takes time.

2. Build it before you need it. The first point drives the second. To build trust, you need to work on your network well before you can ask for any help. You and I went to the same undergrad school. We never spoke before. Can I just call you up one day and ask for a reference for one of the positions in your organization? Will you refer me to the HR though you hardly know my qualifications, affiliations and experience? In most cases NO.

That drives the point that you need to build your network well before you need it. In building the network, keep in mind that you need to inch closer and closer to the person with each conversation. Try to learn about his/her interests outside professional life as these are the talking points that help to have informal conversations, which help to build trust.

3. Give to the network. Networking is a two-way street. Many of us think that networking is one way and you just need to feel stupid and try to get info from our contact through networking. This is a big mistake. Networking works out well only both the persons feel that it is important to share information and keep in touch. Giving generously to your network will help you to build a closer relationship. Some people say: I am just a student. How can I help the contacts in the industry? As a student, you tend to read a lot and be abreast of the latest trends/ issues. Send your contacts interesting articles/reports about the industry that they operate in. Another good and important way to give is to put them in touch with a friend or contact you think will be helpful to them. In this way, you create a circled network which is more efficient.

Finally, we network all the time. We networked when we were in primary as well as high schools and that's how all of us have friends, who we call "best friends". Once you start looking at networking as a way to help each other than to disguise each other, you will be more efficient at this wonderful activity.

Introverts, Extroverts and Career Success

2009-05-15T23:45:00.002-04:00

I am an introvert. I think about many things on my own and don't disclose a lot unless a person is really close. But, once I get close I reveal my life.
75% of the Americans are extroverts and their share is growing with each new generation. So, how does an introvert succeed in a world dominated by extroverts?
How do you portray yourself as one among the herd and not the one who travels the lonely path?

You act like an extrovert. It is not one's fault to be an introvert. Though you can not attribute to one reason why a person becomes an introvert, I observed that the childhood days have a huge bearing on one's personality. If a person was brought up in a village, chances are high that he will grow to become an introvert.
It is not fair to say that introverts are not good at networking. Indeed they are the ones who have strong networks.
I become very extroverted when I talk to my parents and my extended family. I have 1 uncle, 3 aunts and in total it is 20 people in our extended family. We don't stay at the same place. But, whoever I talk to among those 20, I talk a lot as I feel everyone of them is dear to me.
So, if you are introvert like me and feel like you are not on par with others in networking, you need not worry. The following are some tips I can give from my experience:
1. Introverts are good at virtual networking. Use LinkedIn, Orkut, FaceBook etc; to increase your network. Drop e-mails, call on phones to say HI if you feel like you don't have a lot to talk.
2. Introverts listen more, reflect more on what they know, and read a lot. Use these skills to have conversations that interest you. You can get the other person to talk what you like. Also, if you like somethings like Video games? Poker? Music? you can talk about these as well.
3. Introverts are less energetic and need frequent refueling of themselves. They need more breaks and can't be in a social setting for extended periods of time. From my personal example, I can't go to a bar and stay there till 3 or 4 AM. It's not my cup of tea. So, I try to meet people for tea or dinner.
4. Finally, most important is to know your limitations. If you realize that you are an introvert, it helps you to act like an extrovert whenever required.

Many corporate CEOs are intro-extroverts. They act like an extrovert whenever required. Many of them read a lot and spend a lot of time with families. CEOs can not talk to each and every employee. They have a clan of 6-8 lieutenants who they share their secrets with. They rely on small groups for their work. So, never feel that if you don't know 50 people personally you are doomed.

Purpose

2009-05-14T19:29:00.000-04:00

I have always been a big fan of "Purpose". There is a reason why we do things or more precisely, I feel that there should be one. The purpose of this blog is to talk about the things I find interesting or somethings I learned on the way, found useful and would like others to know.