How to Extract the Best, out of the Worst

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An Interesting article, highlighting a real life example, explains: How, fostering a positive belief system can help us extracting the best results out of the worst life developments.

"Your beliefs are causing you to assign meaning to events that are happening. If you hold a set of empowering beliefs, you will probably assign empowering meaning to the events of your life."

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A True Story of Successful Innovation

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An amazing story of unleashing the power of innovations, through employee empowerment, for multiplying business deliverables.

"By empowering employees to develop their own customer relationship breakthroughs, the Ritz-Carlton has earned two Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards and demonstrated how the killer app of trust fuels the sustainable competitive advantage of behavioral innovation."

Via: Business Week

5 Successful Leadership Styles

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Art Gould explains: Recipes for Success: 5 Different Leadership Styles That All Work!

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Nowhere is this saying more true than in today's corporate world. The best way to find out what makes a company successful is to look at the top. And when you do, what you quickly see is that today's top executives are much more than bean counters. They are the founders and daily drivers of their company's corporate cultures. Of particular interest are those who have achieveda measure of prominence due to their accomplishments. The singular characteristic that they all share is their company's success. But when you look more closely and study their leadership styles, you tend to notice more differences than similarities. Here are examples of five different leadership styles that have all proven successful in various ways:

Via: CEO Blog

War over Failures may Begin at Any Age

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If, while looking back into your past during an intense introspection, what you notice is a dark cloud of failures -- there would be a natural compulsion to accept and give up, because you know you can't change your past.

Unfortunately you can't change your past but, can't you change our present for shaping up a better future?

Yes, you can, but the task is mammoth and requires a continuous flow of sustainable determination and hard-work being directed at repairing the evil consequences of wasted time.

Never Surrender to A Haunting Past

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Nothing is more dangerous, in life, than a haunting image of self that you lived decades ago: Good, or bad!

Believe me, even a successful past could also be equally haunting if your current state of affairs is not so comparable.

Let me tell you, why I think so:

Business Mistakes I Committed, but You Don't

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A few days ago CEO of a company told me the same thing what HR head of another company said today: Abhijit, are you adding any values to your core business? Don't you think, you're focusing too much on other activities which are not generating sufficient return?

Are You Using Opera Mini Mobile Browser?

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Opera Mini is one of best mobile browsers I have experienced so far. If you're still not using it, then you are surely missing a lot of web-actions on your smart-phone!

I Won't Give Up!

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Very soon, I shall complete 2 years of blogging. But, looking back, I fail to see any accomplishments, except, may be, learning - to some extent - the art of writing sort of what you may call articles.

How A Small Issue Can Negatively Affect Relationships

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Since morning I've called him up several times on his mobile, and every time he would disconnect.

No, no, I'm not offended, because I've learned to "control my expectations without affecting the actions,' but this incident is a startling reminder of -- how casually we treat our relationships: Be it personal, or professional.

Is HR Losing Its Relevance, In A Competitive Market?

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The heading of this post is a difficult question to answer.

However, let me share with you, what I feel about the role of HR as far as the current competitive recruitment scenario is concerned -- highlighting a few  real-life examples!

Sorry, I'm Not A Consultant -- But, A Recruiter!

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"Sorry, I'm not a consultant!" I politely told a prospect after he finished a marathon lecture on how a recruitment agency must act and deliver.

Consultant, as such, is a prestigious title that we recruiters don't deserve since our scope of work is limited to -- and  far below that.

What we do, is, to identify the best available talents for our clients and convince those candidates to take up the assignments with them.

No way we ever extend any consultancy services to our clients or to our candidates, but for some strange reasons we are bestowed upon with the title: Consultant -- with a crooked smile.

Well, recruitment, in my opinion, is predominantly a marketing job that involves selling brand equity of the clients - whatever, it is - to potential candidates, through highlighting a few genuine USPs.  And, there's no space for any consultancy services, whatsoever!

Then, where the hell, from, is emerging this title: Consultant?

Hey corporates, please stop calling us consultants -- and, let us remain marketing professionals.

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Your Children: Why You Must improve Your Present

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History repeats itself, but when that history is dark and full of sufferings it brings along a powerful tornado, capable of destroying much more than what it did earlier.

Watching, Painfully, My Mother Dying

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Is she my mother? I asked myself, while looking at her after a gap of more than a year and half.

The most powerful personality I've ever noticed and experienced so far, without prejudice, is lying on the bed -- helpless!

Reduced to half of her original size, and suffering from Dementia, she appears to be a skeleton of her illustrious past.

I don't know what would be her future; however, I'd would try my best to make her penultimate days as painless as possible.

But, watching her helplessness, did trigger the volcanic eruption of an emotional outburst, since, without her efforts I wouldn't have been there where I stand today.

The stories of devoted mothers, from across all the living species, are the same -- not in terms of making their own life better but that of their children.

However, watching your mother dying a painful death, is perhaps the worst experience for you, as you know and admit the limitations of being the puppet of destiny.

Mom, I'm Coming Home, Soon

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At last I'm travelling to Guwahati - day after - where my ailing mother is counting her days, comforted by Dad - who's 84 years old, but active - and 3 brothers with their family members.

Make your Life Worth Living!

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Don't curse yourself for where you stand today - neither blame others - because, you only have choosen to be there, where you are -- consciously!

The U-bend of Life: Death of Ambition, Birth of Acceptance!

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An Amazing and well-researched post at 'The Economist,' clearly revealing, how, while growing old, we let our ambitions die a peaceful death filling up the void with a growing sense of acceptance, highlights:

Don't Tell Me: You Are Successful, Because You Deserve It

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Fortunately, most of you haven't touched the bottom of life, and I wish you never. Because, unlike surface, bottom is suffocating and very few can successfully comeback to the surface -- intact!

Trust me: It's easy to talk and quote all those inspiring stuffs from books, but it's equally difficult to live through difficult times, in reality.

The definition and also the interpretation of success, in life, is so simple, yet, so difficult: Making things happen. But, how many of you achieve it, truly? Very few!

Don't tell me that people achieve success just because they deserve it. In fact, most of them are there, where they are, today, because they're destined to be. However, they are superficially successful.

Because, for moving beyond that, towards something extraordinary, what you need is the support of a rare combination of genetic and upbringing quality.

If you have it, thank your parents and move ahead of others; if not, try to make it up and keep moving. But, never, ever, forget that if you are hugely successful today -- it's your parents who laid the foundation.

So, if you are an extra-ordinarily successful person don't think only you deserve the credit, because more than you -- it's your parents who deserve it!

The Rise And Fall of Nira Radia

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Despite being the most preferred public relation lobbyist of the Indian Industrialists for more than a decade, I have never head of Nira Radia until the hell broke loose a month ago.

A Bridge Too Far?

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In Business, or in job, or in family matters, your inner-circle members are counting heavily on you for navigating them safely through life uncertainties to a stable zone. Well, that's a continuous and never ending process!

One hand, you work hard to live up-to your own expectations of achieving success in professional  life, and on the other hand, as head of the family, you put in your best efforts to live up-to the expectations of your family members -- continuing to be a never-ending source of inspiration.

Negotiating through tens of complex issues, at a time, pulling you in different directions, you focus on delivering the best with maximum efforts in minimum time. In fact, you leave no stone unturned to hit your targets.

Gradually, you stop bothering about your own-self and start living for others - happily - channelizing all your resources - internal and external - in one direction: Your family members, friends and even colleagues, until a sudden disaster - either in business, or in career, or in your personal life - shatters you economical and/or emotional stability that you have earned through dedicated hard-work and selfless commitment.

And then you realize, the bridge connecting your life track to the wonderland of success is far away! A bridge too far!

Obviously, many of us, in such situation, decide to give-up accepting defeat but a few start it all over again - ultimately making it happen.

Never forget: Success may be a destination too far, but reachable if you decide -- not to give up.

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Please, Let Me Be My True-self!

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I thought people love me for being what I am: Being humorous; being down-to-earth and for my good intentions.

But I was wrong, because people never loved me for being my true-self. They loved me for being what I projected to them -- falsely!

There exists a community in India that teaches its members to talk sweet irrespective of whatever lies inside heart, and history confirms that they are the most successful business community.

In my professional life also, one of the most successful bosses - who incidentally belong that community - taught me to be extremely decent on surface while hiding my real feelings.

Hypocrisy, no doubt, but it paid off exceedingly well during my association with him in that job. Political, no doubt, but my colleagues took it on face value contributing to my career success there.

But I never liked it, then, and don't, even now, because I believe that a strong building rests only on the foundation of genuineness.

So, let people think and do what they wish to; I would remain what I truly stand for: Good or bad, whatever, but my true-self.

Yes, let me be my true-self while dealing with the world -- irrespective of the consequences, whatsoever!

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Facts of Life, You Can't Deny!

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Someone known to me went all out to ensure the best education for her children and, by the grace of GOD, they're all now well settled in life.

But she, now terminally ill, is living a lonely life in her native place along with her 85 years old caring husband -- as none of her children can either relocate there nor take her to their home for reasons known to them only!

Another lady, who never bothered to educate her children beyond her means, is now passing through the last phase of life surrounded by sons - settled with mediocre jobs there - and grandchildren.

Looking at these two extreme examples of parenting, I'm a bit confused: Who was right?

Was the first lady - who sacrificed everything that she could to ensure the best education for her children - did justice to her role of an ideal parent (facing the consequences too), or the second lady who focused more - may be manipulatively - on ensuring that her children remain with her during old age?

Now, tell me frankly, given a choice: Who would be your role model? Don't pretend to be an idealist while answering this question, but spill out your true feeling.

My comment: We do our best to ensure the best education for our children even at the cost of our own survival, but some of us are selfish and manipulative! Look around, and I'm sure you notice that the world is full of them.

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Turn Intentional 'Act of Neglect' Into Performance Booster

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Never neglect the act of neglect, by others, rather identify what made them ignore you and focus on improving over those weaknesses.

I experienced it a few times in my life and for some unknown reasons every time I tried my best to convert them into opportunity.

First time it happened when I was was in class XI. One of the seniors, who happened to be the College champion, refused to play 'Table Tennis' with me because he felt - I being new in this game - it would be a wastage of time for him and told me to handover the bat to another player.

As usual, students in the surrounding started laughing. I felt deeply hurt, even cried behind the closed doors after returning home.

Well, what followed next, is what I keep reminding myself -- motivating every bits of my soul whenever darkness engulfs my life and I feel hopeless.

I left no stone un-turned to master the game of Table Tennis, and in the next session I beat the same person in the final - then current champion - to become the new champion.

What made me act in that way, was not known to me at that time - not even now - but I assume, it was an intense desire to show myself - and also to others - that 'I can do it.' Yes, 'I can make things happen.'

The act of neglect perhaps inspired me to awaken the hidden and underutilized strength - that all us have - and I went all out to achieve the impossible.

What I, an ordinary person, could do, I'm sure all of you are much more capable of doing -- if only, you take the act of neglect as a challenge to your existence!

So, whenever someone neglects you, you must feel bad about it but positively, and go all out to prove in due course of time, that, he was right, then -- but, not anymore.

Fortunately, it's happening again, on a much bigger scale, and I'm putting my best efforts into proving: That, still, I can make things happen!

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Recruiters Are Not Super Humans!

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Someone told me the other day that most of the recruiters don't bother to respond to the candidates' call, or even return them later.

Come on, how is this possible, if you are a hot candidate matching a few openings in their priority list? After all, candidates are recruiter's bread and butter -- although money comes from the clients only. Am I right?

Do you know, how difficult it is for a recruiter to get in touch with the decision makers in corporate jungle -- as most them always seem to be occupied with a series of never-ending meetings? May be, it reflects in recruiters' behavior during candidate management, but subconsciously.

Also, a unique combination of the Clients' deadlines coupled with their own monthly targets make the recruiters dance on their toes, when getting the right candidates is no less amazing than finding a needle in the hay.

However, recruiters too are humans with natural feelings. So, if you're able to prove yourself an interesting and resourceful candidate I don't see any reason they shouldn't respond.

I think, it's nothing but about establishing a strong connectivity with the recruiters, and the candidates who fail to understand this simple fact would continue calling them without any response.

I have more than a thousand contact numbers of such candidates on my mobile phone and never fail to respond whenever they call me up.

Embrace Pains, If You Wish to Become the King of Destiny

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If destiny has put you along the line of bullets, you must thank God for being so kind and look at it as an opportunity to prove yourself.

The journey from ordinary-ship to the realm of being extra-ordinary is like walking through a battle-field without arms and ammunition to defend yourself against a continuous spray of bullets from all directions -- including, a few from your own people!

Yes, it's Very difficult to survive a situation like this but not impossible, if you toughen your skin to such an extent that no bullet can ever penetrate it.

By bullets I mean extreme pains and agonies; by skin I mean emotional state of mind and by battle-field I mean the road 'from beginning to end' of life.

Some work hard to create a situation like this so that they can fight it out to make things happen in life, and a fortunate few are forced to embrace it. Whichever category you belong to, once in, never give up, until you reach the intended destination.

But how do you go about it?

Well, do lots of self-talking inspiring your own-self: "Yes, I can do it," and read success stories of people who fought against all odds to achieve the impossibles. I'm sure, you will develop a strong determination that would help you tide over even the mother of all difficulties -- eventually hitting the shore of success.

Most of us are born ordinary, but a few make it happen in life to become extraordinary before leaving this world, forever. They cease to exist, but leave behind the legacy of successful struggle -- inspiring generations to come.

You too, may become one of them, if you decide to. But, for that, you have to embrace extreme pains and agonies. The risk is huge, but the rewards even sweeter! May be a gambling, but worth taking the risk if you're confident.

Remember, you can become the King of destiny if you have the ability to embrace the pains with a smiling face.

Thanks Kathakali Chaterjee on Facebook for theme of this post.

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What Doesn't Matter, Yet Matters!

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Who you're doesn't matter. What matters most, unfortunately, is your desire to live a resourceful - if not meaningful - life.

That's how all of you live the life, but at some point of time your self-respect prevail over those wrong  intentions and you fail to remain dishonest to yourself!

However, you work hard to win it over and start living, not your genuine intentions but your ability to justify inaction for the right purpose.

Finally, you reach the success summit but without achieving the feat!

Meaningless, is that success, but can you take another route to make it meaningful?

Perhaps you can, if you wish so. Give it a thought and let me know: How to?