I was at a reputed management school recently for a reorientation program with Year 2 students. Nothing has changed there. the campus, classes, staff and unfortunately the way students are being groomed for the corporate world.
And I don't blame the management running the institute for this. I did not see the hunger in the students to change the system. the hunger to go out and be the catalysts, harbingers and implementers of the change. And when I compare this with another B school that i have been interacting with - i can't miss the comparison with the iconic ad - "we are no 2, we try harder"
The corporate life enactment of this same attitude can be seen when management trainees join the organisation. Within a year they are tamed by personalities or politics. instead of changing the things for the better, 80% of them change themselves for better positions. It never takes them far, but rare is the common sense to be far sighted.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
To be or not to be
The more i think - the more i realise that life is what we make out of it. We have that amazing ability to choose - choose to be or not to be in any circumstance.
We can decide that we want to be there and excel in everything that comes our way after that. Or we can choose to move on. But - what we end up doing is staying there - and keep thinking of how good life would have been if we were not here, but somewhere else (and 98% of the times we are not aware of what that some thing else will be). and we do this because this gives us the liberty to be mediocre at work - justifying it with the sense that we deserve better things in life and are not made for what we are doing.
Such a pity - the amount of potential that goes waste.
We can decide that we want to be there and excel in everything that comes our way after that. Or we can choose to move on. But - what we end up doing is staying there - and keep thinking of how good life would have been if we were not here, but somewhere else (and 98% of the times we are not aware of what that some thing else will be). and we do this because this gives us the liberty to be mediocre at work - justifying it with the sense that we deserve better things in life and are not made for what we are doing.
Such a pity - the amount of potential that goes waste.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
10 things that I want to do in life
Ten things that i want to do in life
1. Master a musical instrument
2. Learn dancing (at least shed the inhibition)
3. Advanced MBA from an international B School
4. Work with P&G and Mc kinsey
5. Work as a career trainer with students
6. Master the art of cooking cakes and muffins
7. Work towards building a retirement home in Udaipur
8. Have my own website and blog
9. Six pack abs (have already bet Rs 25000/- on that)
10. Start a pet related business
I have not mentioned some personal goals as they are too personal to be put on public domain. But when I compare this list of mine with the one that I had while I was in college - there is a sense of satisfaction. The college list was full of things like the car I want to own, the designation i want to reach, the salary that I should get by the time I am 30 - it was all the things that they teach us not to run after in the last semester at IIM Bangalore :)
I will relook at the list every five years -will be a good snapshot of my evolution as an individual.
1. Master a musical instrument
2. Learn dancing (at least shed the inhibition)
3. Advanced MBA from an international B School
4. Work with P&G and Mc kinsey
5. Work as a career trainer with students
6. Master the art of cooking cakes and muffins
7. Work towards building a retirement home in Udaipur
8. Have my own website and blog
9. Six pack abs (have already bet Rs 25000/- on that)
10. Start a pet related business
I have not mentioned some personal goals as they are too personal to be put on public domain. But when I compare this list of mine with the one that I had while I was in college - there is a sense of satisfaction. The college list was full of things like the car I want to own, the designation i want to reach, the salary that I should get by the time I am 30 - it was all the things that they teach us not to run after in the last semester at IIM Bangalore :)
I will relook at the list every five years -will be a good snapshot of my evolution as an individual.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Relay race v/s Sprint - mindset change!!
In the 7 years of my career - I have reported to 6 managers . While the relationship with the first three was fantastic (still continue to be in touch with them) - it was a complete disaster with the fourth and the fifth one. Determined not to make it a hat-trick, have been able to work the relationship with the current manager really well.
But when i look back and reflect on what went wrong - the first reaction is that those two were not worth it. On deeper introspection, it strikes me where I had gone wrong.
I was in a student mode - behaving as a trainee with the first three managers. Constantly voicing my concerns, but going ahead with their judgement - realising that they have been through things before. No wonder we had a great relationship - where they valued my contribution and helped me fast track my career.
This went on for 3 years, and when I was asked to report to the fourth manager - the problems started.
Recognition at work resulted in confidence that I am good at it. Coupled with ambition to grow "very" fast, it gave way to cynicism for the way the fourth manager worked. Cynicism gave way to lack of respect for authority and experience - which started affecting the relationship.
Eager to move on in life - i switched jobs. Landed with a manager who was sharp, intelligent and had lots to teach me. But he believed in micro management, did not believe in anything called HR practises (the function did not exist in that organisation) and started getting insecure with more and more no of people looking up to me. And i started making it more obvious in every gathering. It gave me a sort of kick that people think i am better than my CEO. Things started getting uncomfortable and i decided to move on - in search of that perfect job and company.
I think I have learnt from the mistakes - realised that managers are human too - they will make mistakes, they will be insecure - but at the end of the day they will have so much to add to you . It is up to you to make it a relay where you help each other win - or treat it like a sprint where you think you are competing with them.
Both my managers (fourth and fifth) still keep me alive in their conversations (by mentioning not so sweet things about me). So here I am - reflecting on how I would have behaved if life offered me a chance to redo things. Unfortunately, i have still not become so magnanimous to go and talk to them, offer an apology for the mistakes on my part. So i am trying hard to make the present work - and believe in the power of a relay race over a sprint.
But when i look back and reflect on what went wrong - the first reaction is that those two were not worth it. On deeper introspection, it strikes me where I had gone wrong.
I was in a student mode - behaving as a trainee with the first three managers. Constantly voicing my concerns, but going ahead with their judgement - realising that they have been through things before. No wonder we had a great relationship - where they valued my contribution and helped me fast track my career.
This went on for 3 years, and when I was asked to report to the fourth manager - the problems started.
Recognition at work resulted in confidence that I am good at it. Coupled with ambition to grow "very" fast, it gave way to cynicism for the way the fourth manager worked. Cynicism gave way to lack of respect for authority and experience - which started affecting the relationship.
Eager to move on in life - i switched jobs. Landed with a manager who was sharp, intelligent and had lots to teach me. But he believed in micro management, did not believe in anything called HR practises (the function did not exist in that organisation) and started getting insecure with more and more no of people looking up to me. And i started making it more obvious in every gathering. It gave me a sort of kick that people think i am better than my CEO. Things started getting uncomfortable and i decided to move on - in search of that perfect job and company.
I think I have learnt from the mistakes - realised that managers are human too - they will make mistakes, they will be insecure - but at the end of the day they will have so much to add to you . It is up to you to make it a relay where you help each other win - or treat it like a sprint where you think you are competing with them.
Both my managers (fourth and fifth) still keep me alive in their conversations (by mentioning not so sweet things about me). So here I am - reflecting on how I would have behaved if life offered me a chance to redo things. Unfortunately, i have still not become so magnanimous to go and talk to them, offer an apology for the mistakes on my part. So i am trying hard to make the present work - and believe in the power of a relay race over a sprint.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Do we need destinations or is it the journey that matters!!
So it has been a long hiatus - and a lot has changed in this year and half.
New job, new city, new family member (my son aahaan), new friends and a totally different perspective to life - post recession.
The frustrations of mid-life crisis (career wise) have started knocking at the door. Confused about where i am in life - in the absence of any other parameter - have started checking out where are my batch mates from B school. I have figured out, while everyone has reached a AVP, associate stage - very few have gone ahead and done what they wanted to do in life (Karan Bajaj has authored a book and Gaurav Mishra has started doing what he is best at - giving gyaan :) There are others who have tuned entrepreneurs and some who have made lots of money but are still not happy.
Typical of a B school pass out - am finding solace for my dissonance with rg (relative grading)
Have started asking a fundamental question to myself -
"Do we all need destinations or we can cherish the journey as life"
(as a travel enthusiast, i have mostly enjoyed the journey more than the destination.)
Have decided to keep this blog dedicated to mostly my experiences - from B school to management trainee to AVP Retail - things that i regret and things that i celebrate - as a memoir that i will want to sit and read again and again when i hang my boots, and as a "what not to do guide" for young graduates from B schools.
New job, new city, new family member (my son aahaan), new friends and a totally different perspective to life - post recession.
The frustrations of mid-life crisis (career wise) have started knocking at the door. Confused about where i am in life - in the absence of any other parameter - have started checking out where are my batch mates from B school. I have figured out, while everyone has reached a AVP, associate stage - very few have gone ahead and done what they wanted to do in life (Karan Bajaj has authored a book and Gaurav Mishra has started doing what he is best at - giving gyaan :) There are others who have tuned entrepreneurs and some who have made lots of money but are still not happy.
Typical of a B school pass out - am finding solace for my dissonance with rg (relative grading)
Have started asking a fundamental question to myself -
"Do we all need destinations or we can cherish the journey as life"
(as a travel enthusiast, i have mostly enjoyed the journey more than the destination.)
Have decided to keep this blog dedicated to mostly my experiences - from B school to management trainee to AVP Retail - things that i regret and things that i celebrate - as a memoir that i will want to sit and read again and again when i hang my boots, and as a "what not to do guide" for young graduates from B schools.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)