My Penpal

I don;t really know what triggered this chain of thought in my mind, but I was feeling a little beamish for the past week. Lets face it, I don't stay in touch with a lot of my friends. I mean its not like I forget them or something... just calling up my pals is something so odd to me. Its not something I'm proud of, but its just there. Judge me if you must!!

So anyway, the only time I actually started writing letters was when I met this amazing girl way back in 2002.We were at the DPS & Hindustan Times Summit on Child Education, in Delhi and it was a 2 day affair. But the quality of conversation that we shared and the way we connected was just surreal... So when we went back to our respective hometowns and the era of long letters started.. Whoa, I had my first (and till date only) pen pal, Asmi. We wrote about everything, our days at the school, our likes/dislikes, our friends...

And then suddenly, we went out of touch. I couldn't believe it, buts thats the way it happened. I wrote like countless letters but in vain. Like they say, Time changes everything, but somehow I couldn't forget her. But of course, as I mentioned before, I stopped trying.... 7 years went by, and then suddenly one day, I realized, I have google on my side so what the heck.

And lo behold, I finally found her, on Orkut. 7 Years Later!!!!! To my surprise, she still remembered me. Naturally, we fought over the phone and everything, but the fact is, I found my buddy again. :) Now we talk occasionally coz international calls are, well not exactly economical. But the fact that we were able to connect so easily again, makes it all the more special. She is now a full fledged research scholar (Boring...) and like a million miles away and yet it feels like we sitting across face to face everytime we talk.

Fact is I realized how it feels when your friend forgets you (or seems to...) And here's to all my pals everywhere.. I miss you and remember you everyday. I understand what you must have presumed since I went underground. Trust me I'm still the same guy who laughed, cried, fought and made up with you guys. Hopefully, this blog will reach out to them.. And maybe they will forgive me. Life teaches you new lessons everyday, and not all of them are pretty. But all said and done, Life's been good to me so far and I'm optimistic...

And to Asmi, you were never forgotten and believe when I say this, I was ecstatic when I found you back, not only because we were friends but because, we still cared for each other... I hope 7 years of exile from me will be the last time that you disappeared!!!! I wish I had the strength and the patience to write letters again... But for now, this blog is dedicated only to you, not only for coming back in my life, but in teaching me that Friends are siblings that God forgot to give you at birth. You have to earn their respect and understanding!!

Thanks Again!!

New Role...

Dear All,

For the concerned, I've finally completed a year of my Management Training Programme.. makes me proud to say I survived, and did decently well too. But as I step into the new role of an Asst Manager, I feel a li'l overwhelmed.. Ever had that sensation of a cold ball in the pit of your stomach..?? Thats probably the best way to define what I'm feeling right now.

So I had this meeting yesterday with a couple of people at my office who too have recently risen above their erstwhile colleagues, and of course face the same situation as me. Some of the things we talked about made sense, and I wish to share it on this blog.So here goes...

The two main issues that an individual faces after he/she gets promoted are:

1. Ego Management of the Team which he/she was working with till date.

2. Getting things done.

Now I understand that the two are closely interlinked, but for the sake of simplicity lets examine them one by one. Ego Management is probably the most critical concern that a new Manager faces, especially when he/she has moved upwards among the team. The others will obviously look at him/her as an external party to their team, because he is no longer a buddy!!! He's become the BOSS. This became the highlight of our conversation and I realised that its not that difficult to break the ice. Instead of demanding your team to get the work done, let there be a common forum for both you and the team to discuss their targets. Show them how it is linked to your own, and offer assistance (whole-hearted) while they start working. This way you can really connect with the team again and what's more , your work's getting done.

What we seem to forget really is that our team needs to know that they are reporting to the same fun-loving buddy who used to work with them. Hence communication becomes very important. The more transparent we become, the more our team will trust us.

Secondly, getting things done(read Execution) is slightly less complicated once you've figured out the first part. Now that you become the linking pin between the Management and the staff, you are expected to get things done efficiently and effectively. This is just a fancy way of saying that the sword is constantly on your neck. If your team fails, you fail.This is a key concern for me because my colleagues is older to me in terms of experience and age. So if I had to get work done through him, I'd have to set an example first. My GM tells me the best way for a leader to inspire his/her team is to be inspired and set examples in whatever they do. Only then do you earn your team's trust and maximize yield.

In my concluding note, I'd just like to say that a manager is what he/she is because we can make decisions, popular and unpopular. Its what we do best!! So just remember, when it does come down to taking those decisions, ensure that you take your team along with it. Think, decide and do. Empower your team to do things, train them, coach them and remember, its all right if they make mistakes provide they don't repeat them.

Chao.

From Death to Life: An interesting read

The unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time and what do you get at the end of it? You die. I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first; get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you’re too young. You get a gold watch when you go to work. You work forty years until you’re young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, and you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating…and you finish off as a glint in someone's eye!!

An Epitaph

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond glint on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain,

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awake in the morning hush,

I am the soft unflinging rush,

Of quiet birds in circling flight,

I am the soft star-shine in the night.

And so my friend, do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there, I did not die

Amen

Phases....

I wanted nothing less than hope,
But, relishing despair,
I plunged into the nearest hell
And spent some weekends there.

I saw no answers on the walls,
No rebirth in the rain,
No saving grace in suffering,
No rapture born of pain.

What held me there? It must have been
The jackal, crazed and lean,
Who took my face between his paws
And, hungry, picked it clean.

Rain Rain Come Again!!

For the uninitiated, rains have finally hit Udaipur... And how so!! I saw the Palace, literally washed apart by the flash rains. All the lounge chairs in the pool plopped right in, the furniture at our fine dining restro went for a toss, the Spa tents could not sustain the heavy onslaught and collapsed. In a nutshell, it was a nightmare for my operations team for the next 90 mins.

But then to actually see the guest enjoying the rains, in their own little ways was a treat in itself. An aged German couple was taking a walk in our Guava garden. When the rains came, instead of running for shelter or finding an umbrella, they simply sat down on one of the marble benches, holding hands and enjoying the view,(I hope!!) The poor butler on the other hand was havin a hard time convincing them to at least take an umbrella.

And it was beautiful, the view!! With all the flora in the landscape taking a different hue altogether with the first raindrops. And the fragrance was.... well heavenly!! I just wish I had my loved ones around to take it all in and stay in this one moment forever.. Yes, Udaipur is beautiful...!!

Am I in paradise?? That remains to be seen...

Peace

Newsflash: Mars=Venus!!

Sporadic blogs, crazy shifts.. corporate life is a muff!!! I'll be the umpteenth one to say it but, well, a fact is a fact. Anyway was running through a period of mass recruitments for the Palace for the past week. Out of the numerous things that meeting 20 new people a day teaches you, one of the realities that dawned on me was.. Men are becoming more and more womanized by the day....

(Disclaimer: Before I proceed may I add that I respect and admire all the ladies I know, and also that I am a big fan of the feminist movement. But having said that, I personally believe that some things are better when they remain the same.)

Anyway, coming back to the original issue, one of the things that I noted was the guys were sitting and chatting among themselves for hours at an end, oblivious to the fact that we offered them some quality food. On the other hand, the girls were quieter than usual, very to-the-point and unusually serious. All this makes me think.. Have the tables really turned??? Whatever happened to Chirpy Chics and Serious Sams?? I say this at the risk of sounding sexist, but its true.

Secondly, almost every male candidate who came along had problem with night shifts. The females on the other hand were totally gung-ho about it. As much as I was pleased to see this, I felt a tad melancholic to see my gender behaving like, well anti-stereotypes.

I mean, I agree the world has changed. But certain things are best when they remain unchanged. Guys having problem with night shifts is like so weird!! I would welcome my nocturnal adventures..ahem!! But then again, I was amazed by the gusto of the Ladies. They were conceptually better, better groomed, well-prepared and of course, much more charming.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again- "Women are finally taking their rightful place in the society". We, on the other hand should not take it as an insult or a call to arms. Rather, a sense of healthy competition and a mature attitude towards the opposite sex is the least that is expected of us at present.

In a nutshell- "Men, Pull up your socks... or get ready to be phased out of the Solar System"!! :-(

Ciao

When You Lose A Boss!!

4 hours & 30 minutes..... I can't believe he's gone. It feels like it was just yesterday when I walked thorugh the corridors of the Palace and entered the HR office. The first handshake we had said it all.. Here was somebody I could relate with.. Here was somebody who listened to me when I made mistakes. Explained the basics of what I was supposed to do till the time he was sure I got it. And yet never hesitated to reprimand me when I went wrong. I guess what they say is true- Your first boss is everything.. He will either make you or break you. Whatever little that I have achieved over the past 6 months in the company, its because there was somebody behind me, every step of the way. You are my inspiration Govind Sir, and you always will be. And its not that I'm doing this coz I'm emotional or sumthin. Yes, emotions do run high with Librans but so do facts!!
Fact 1: I was allowed a free hand in the Training Department, within 15 days of me coming to the property. Who would do that for a trainee??
Fact 2: I was given handovers that went beyond appointment letters and administrative issues, e.g. Performance Appraisals, Corporate Reports etc etc the list is endless.. Where in the world can we see that happening??
Fact 3: Whenever I made a mistake, instead of just pointing fingers, he would actually counsel, advise & tell me the corrective measures to be taken.
Fact 4: No matter what others thought of him, he knew what he was and he was good at it.
Fact 5: He became a Unit HR Head at the age of 30, when most people could only dream of reaching there when they are at least 40 years of age. That says something!!
Sir, if there is even the slightest chance of you reading this, its not been the same since you've told that you are leaving. And now that you are gone, I can't believe that the office is empty. I never expected something like this to happen to me, but I guess I miss my boss!!
Wish you all the luck in the future Sir, GodSpeed!!! :)