When somebody requests you for something or wants something from you. Even if you want to say no to them, always say “yes, ...but" and then give reasons as to why you are saying No!
This is also called DIPLOMACY
Friday, 27 May 2011
R U like a River or a Lake??
Rivers are always moving and widening as they flow, whereas lakes increase in size depending on the rainfall. Rivers do not collect much silt as compared to lakes. While rivers are often turbulent, lakes are placid.
Are you like a river as far as your career is concerned, learning new things and moving ahead or are you like a lake, learnt everything you need to know about your present position & your career is stagnating?
If you are a lake type, it is time to change your thinking, shed your complacency and get moving. Think of River Waikato, which flows out of Lake Taupo in New Zealand. Beginning as a lake, the water gushes out in a torrent near the township of Taupo to form the River Waikato, New Zealand's longest river. On the way to the sea, this river supports so many farms, a few power stations, and even canoeing facilities at Karapiro. It is a big boon to the area, so much so the area around it is know as Waikato region.. Similarly, when you come out of your lake mentality and flow like a river, not only it will benefit you but also those who interact with you.
Are you like a river as far as your career is concerned, learning new things and moving ahead or are you like a lake, learnt everything you need to know about your present position & your career is stagnating?
If you are a lake type, it is time to change your thinking, shed your complacency and get moving. Think of River Waikato, which flows out of Lake Taupo in New Zealand. Beginning as a lake, the water gushes out in a torrent near the township of Taupo to form the River Waikato, New Zealand's longest river. On the way to the sea, this river supports so many farms, a few power stations, and even canoeing facilities at Karapiro. It is a big boon to the area, so much so the area around it is know as Waikato region.. Similarly, when you come out of your lake mentality and flow like a river, not only it will benefit you but also those who interact with you.
Saturday, 21 May 2011
Europe
is
Cathedrals,Castles & Churches
Cars & Cycles
Casinos ( a few) & Cafes
Coffee ( sorry,no TEA)
and windmills producing electricity as well as the Don Quixote variety ( in Holland)
Cathedrals,Castles & Churches
Cars & Cycles
Casinos ( a few) & Cafes
Coffee ( sorry,no TEA)
and windmills producing electricity as well as the Don Quixote variety ( in Holland)
Friday, 20 May 2011
Complification
is not a word from the dictionary, but I consider it as the process of making simple things complex. It is a great pastime for the corporate world and under the pretext of "change”, processes, rules, products, services systems and a lot of other irrelevant things are changed, sometimes at a great cost to the organisation. The changes often are confusing detrimental to the moral of the staff and end up satisfying the ego of the person initiating the changes. Irrelevant becomes relevant. Non issues become matter of life and death and take precedence over more serious matters. Often, the main culprits indulging in such activities are freshly qualified MBAs eager to show off their bookish knowledge & impress the bosses!
Then, there re are companies, organisations and individuals masquerading as “consultants” always ready to step in with their suggestions to improve the lot of their clients. They are masters of the complification game and sometimes can confuse an issue so much so, that we can loose track of what we were trying to achieve in the first place. With their vested interests, they often see the trees rather the woods and look at a problem or an issue from their viewpoint. Hence their recommendations & suggestions, however good they may look prima facie, should be looked into objectively before implementing them.
While I am not against changes per se, any changes being brought about should be thoroughly discussed and all the implications of the change examined. See how it affects the 5 Ms (Men, Machinery, Material, Money & Management)and also the community at large as well as the the environment.
A very good example of Complification is the online ramp traffic lights on the Auckland motorways. Installed a few years ago, they are ostensibly there to control the flow of traffic from the feeder roads on to the motorway. They can be turned on & off as per traffic conditions. But often, even if there is a smooth flow of traffic on the motorway, the ramp lights are on and the traffic starts clogging the smaller feeder road. So really speaking the ramp lights have not solved the problem of traffic congestion, but all they done is really shifted the traffic congestion from the motorways to the feeder roads,
Then, there re are companies, organisations and individuals masquerading as “consultants” always ready to step in with their suggestions to improve the lot of their clients. They are masters of the complification game and sometimes can confuse an issue so much so, that we can loose track of what we were trying to achieve in the first place. With their vested interests, they often see the trees rather the woods and look at a problem or an issue from their viewpoint. Hence their recommendations & suggestions, however good they may look prima facie, should be looked into objectively before implementing them.
While I am not against changes per se, any changes being brought about should be thoroughly discussed and all the implications of the change examined. See how it affects the 5 Ms (Men, Machinery, Material, Money & Management)and also the community at large as well as the the environment.
A very good example of Complification is the online ramp traffic lights on the Auckland motorways. Installed a few years ago, they are ostensibly there to control the flow of traffic from the feeder roads on to the motorway. They can be turned on & off as per traffic conditions. But often, even if there is a smooth flow of traffic on the motorway, the ramp lights are on and the traffic starts clogging the smaller feeder road. So really speaking the ramp lights have not solved the problem of traffic congestion, but all they done is really shifted the traffic congestion from the motorways to the feeder roads,
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
4 words i hate
Insurance, Fines, Taxes, Fees.
I hate them all and not necessarily in that order!
Let us look at them one by one:
Fines:
Absolutely unnecessary & totally avoidable. A real waste of money. You pay fines as a punishment for something you may have done (like a speeding ticket), or being late for making a payment. Don't delay making your payments, 'coz you may get more fines for being late.
Insurance:
A must in today’s fast paced life, it is an unavoidable expense. However, shop around for the best rates, compare apples with apples when deciding your insurance provider, understand what you are covered for e.g. in the recent floods in Queensland, Australia, many people discovered they were not insured for flood damages. Don't forget to check the excess you may have to pay when your claim is approved.
Taxes:
You must pay your taxes; there are no two ways about it. But do not hesitate to use fair means (forming trusts, home business, rental property) to reduce your tax liability. At the end of the day, remember, that the taxes you pay help to run the country.
Are there any other suggestions for reducing the tax liability?
Fees:
Can’t avoid them, can you? When paying fees of any kind, whether to a financial institution, bank or any other entity, try and understand what you are paying the fee for. Is it a recurring fee and if yes, how frequently and for how long you re going to be charged. Is there a way of minimising it, if not avoiding it outright? Beware of the set up fee on an interest free loan, because more often than not, the set up fees exceed the amount of interest you would have paid!
Can you think of any other words you hate?
I hate them all and not necessarily in that order!
Let us look at them one by one:
Fines:
Absolutely unnecessary & totally avoidable. A real waste of money. You pay fines as a punishment for something you may have done (like a speeding ticket), or being late for making a payment. Don't delay making your payments, 'coz you may get more fines for being late.
Insurance:
A must in today’s fast paced life, it is an unavoidable expense. However, shop around for the best rates, compare apples with apples when deciding your insurance provider, understand what you are covered for e.g. in the recent floods in Queensland, Australia, many people discovered they were not insured for flood damages. Don't forget to check the excess you may have to pay when your claim is approved.
Taxes:
You must pay your taxes; there are no two ways about it. But do not hesitate to use fair means (forming trusts, home business, rental property) to reduce your tax liability. At the end of the day, remember, that the taxes you pay help to run the country.
Are there any other suggestions for reducing the tax liability?
Fees:
Can’t avoid them, can you? When paying fees of any kind, whether to a financial institution, bank or any other entity, try and understand what you are paying the fee for. Is it a recurring fee and if yes, how frequently and for how long you re going to be charged. Is there a way of minimising it, if not avoiding it outright? Beware of the set up fee on an interest free loan, because more often than not, the set up fees exceed the amount of interest you would have paid!
Can you think of any other words you hate?
Saturday, 14 May 2011
You Can Be
Old, but never too old
Often I have old people telling me that they are too old to change their habits or learn something new like becoming computer literate. I always tell them you may be old, but never too old. The last surviving World War 1 survivor, who died recently at the age of 110, had his book published at the age of 108. Another person learnt to fly at 86! So age should never stop you from learning a new skill or starting a new hobby so that your time is spent meaningful and fruitfully.
Remember, you may grow old physically, but never too old in your spirit. As they say in a different context “being young at heart"
Down but not down and out
Think of King David from the Old Testament in the Bible. Because of his adulterous relationship with Bethesda, he was totally devastated and down. But thru his repentance and reliance on God, he was able to pull himself up from the depth of the pit in which he had fallen. At that time of despair in his life, he wrote some very beautiful Psalms ( Psalm 123, Psalm 130) and God was so pleased with David, that He called David a man after His heart.( Acts 13:22)
David did not languish in self pity, but thru God's help picked he up and became one of the greatest King the people of Israel ever had.
Similarly, there are several examples from the world of business. Despite several failures in their previous ventures, they have not given up. They have been able to set up and run successful businesses. Several authors and sports people come to mind; they have tried & tried till they succeeded
The point is not to have a pity party, but to learn from your past failures, so you rise up again like a phoenix from the ashes.
Often I have old people telling me that they are too old to change their habits or learn something new like becoming computer literate. I always tell them you may be old, but never too old. The last surviving World War 1 survivor, who died recently at the age of 110, had his book published at the age of 108. Another person learnt to fly at 86! So age should never stop you from learning a new skill or starting a new hobby so that your time is spent meaningful and fruitfully.
Remember, you may grow old physically, but never too old in your spirit. As they say in a different context “being young at heart"
Down but not down and out
Think of King David from the Old Testament in the Bible. Because of his adulterous relationship with Bethesda, he was totally devastated and down. But thru his repentance and reliance on God, he was able to pull himself up from the depth of the pit in which he had fallen. At that time of despair in his life, he wrote some very beautiful Psalms ( Psalm 123, Psalm 130) and God was so pleased with David, that He called David a man after His heart.( Acts 13:22)
David did not languish in self pity, but thru God's help picked he up and became one of the greatest King the people of Israel ever had.
Similarly, there are several examples from the world of business. Despite several failures in their previous ventures, they have not given up. They have been able to set up and run successful businesses. Several authors and sports people come to mind; they have tried & tried till they succeeded
The point is not to have a pity party, but to learn from your past failures, so you rise up again like a phoenix from the ashes.
Impossible is Possible
When an elephant is young, its owners tie it by a chain to a little peg driven into the ground. Despite its best effort and much to its annoyance, the baby elephant is not able to pull the peg off the ground & free itself. After few weeks of trying, it gives up trying and its mind is conditioned to the fact that it is impossible to free it. Even as it grows bigger & stronger, it still thinks it will not be able to free itself and never tries it again.
Are you in the same situation as the baby elephant? Some things you were not able to achieve earlier for whatever reason seem now impossible and you have given up trying? Is you mind “conditioned” like the baby elephant's that you will never be able to uproot the peg?
PS: do you remember the Baby Elephant tune from the late 60s movie HATARI?
Let us look at another situation
The weight of the anchor of the ship in relation to the weight of the ship is quite insignificant. Yet the ship's anchor can hold even a fully loaded ship from moving ahead. Are there small things in your life which are holing you back from progressing? Sometimes habits, addiction, your friends or relatives can be a hindrance. Do a self examination, identify & overcome the obstacles in your life which are weighing you down and which are holding you back.
Are you in the same situation as the baby elephant? Some things you were not able to achieve earlier for whatever reason seem now impossible and you have given up trying? Is you mind “conditioned” like the baby elephant's that you will never be able to uproot the peg?
PS: do you remember the Baby Elephant tune from the late 60s movie HATARI?
Let us look at another situation
The weight of the anchor of the ship in relation to the weight of the ship is quite insignificant. Yet the ship's anchor can hold even a fully loaded ship from moving ahead. Are there small things in your life which are holing you back from progressing? Sometimes habits, addiction, your friends or relatives can be a hindrance. Do a self examination, identify & overcome the obstacles in your life which are weighing you down and which are holding you back.
Rules for working for the Government
Some simple, but very important rules
Do tomorrow what you are supposed to do today
Do next week what you are supposed to do tomorrow
Do next month what you what you are supposed to do next week
Do next year what you are supposed to do next month
Never do what you are supposed to next year
For any enquiries addressed to you, the other person is the correct person
The buck never stops here, there or anywhere
Outsource what you can, whenever you can, wherever you can, to whosoever who can do it or cannot do it
(PS: don’t forget your "commission" in cash or kind)
Never answer anything “Yes or No." Your answer should be " may be; yes, but; I will think over; can I get back to you on that?"
Do not ask your colleague or another government employee a direct question. Always begin with “Suppose" and convert your question into a hypothetical situation, both of you knowing very well that it is the real situation that you are discussing. You will, in all probability, get a non-committal reply, thus both of you cover your back if anything goes wrong!!
Do tomorrow what you are supposed to do today
Do next week what you are supposed to do tomorrow
Do next month what you what you are supposed to do next week
Do next year what you are supposed to do next month
Never do what you are supposed to next year
For any enquiries addressed to you, the other person is the correct person
The buck never stops here, there or anywhere
Outsource what you can, whenever you can, wherever you can, to whosoever who can do it or cannot do it
(PS: don’t forget your "commission" in cash or kind)
Never answer anything “Yes or No." Your answer should be " may be; yes, but; I will think over; can I get back to you on that?"
Do not ask your colleague or another government employee a direct question. Always begin with “Suppose" and convert your question into a hypothetical situation, both of you knowing very well that it is the real situation that you are discussing. You will, in all probability, get a non-committal reply, thus both of you cover your back if anything goes wrong!!
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Foul Weather Friends
Every one has fair-weather friends, but how many of us have foul weather friends? These are friends who will stick with you in a time of crisis, the type who will stick with you in time of your need. Think of those who will be doers & not advisors
If you know five such people, write down their name, address, telephone #, mobile # and e mail id.
Make two copies, give one to your spouse/parents/siblings & stick the other in your wallet!!
Remember always :
A friend in need is a friend indeed!
If you know five such people, write down their name, address, telephone #, mobile # and e mail id.
Make two copies, give one to your spouse/parents/siblings & stick the other in your wallet!!
Remember always :
A friend in need is a friend indeed!
The Octopus
Everyone knows what an octopus is & of course many of you may have heard of Paul the octopus. Paul was able to successfully predict the results of the World Cup soccer matches in the 2010 world cup.
Unfortunately, some managers & leaders behave like the octopus....trying to do everything themselves. They need to have a finger in every pie, know what is going around them, who is up to what,etc etc-as if they have eight tentacles They will neither delegate authority nor allow their subordinates to make any decisions. A total dictatorship, resulting in a demotivated staff, chaos and time delay in decision making.
Is it the way they have been groomed, is it their faulty leadership style or an inherent insecurity where they consider everyone a threat to their position? Whatever it is, the organisation they work for will see a large turnover of the employees and in all probability stunt the growth of its employees who chose to stay.
2010 World Cup Card Special!! TEN (10) Factory Sealed Foil Packs of 2010 Panini Adrenalyn XL World Cup Card Game! 6 Cards Per Pack a total of SIXTY (60) Brand New 2010 World Cup Soccer Cards!! International Edition from Italy!
Spain Soccer Red adidas 2010 World Cup Champions T-Shirt
!
Unfortunately, some managers & leaders behave like the octopus....trying to do everything themselves. They need to have a finger in every pie, know what is going around them, who is up to what,etc etc-as if they have eight tentacles They will neither delegate authority nor allow their subordinates to make any decisions. A total dictatorship, resulting in a demotivated staff, chaos and time delay in decision making.
Is it the way they have been groomed, is it their faulty leadership style or an inherent insecurity where they consider everyone a threat to their position? Whatever it is, the organisation they work for will see a large turnover of the employees and in all probability stunt the growth of its employees who chose to stay.
2010 World Cup Card Special!! TEN (10) Factory Sealed Foil Packs of 2010 Panini Adrenalyn XL World Cup Card Game! 6 Cards Per Pack a total of SIXTY (60) Brand New 2010 World Cup Soccer Cards!! International Edition from Italy!
Spain Soccer Red adidas 2010 World Cup Champions T-Shirt
!
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Lost Vegas
When people do not return from Las Vegas, there are usually two reasons
-- they have made lots of money & don't want to return
or
-- they have lost all their money & have no money to return
The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas 2011 (Unofficial Guides)
Las Vegas (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
-- they have made lots of money & don't want to return
or
-- they have lost all their money & have no money to return
The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas 2011 (Unofficial Guides)
Las Vegas (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
An 'interest'ing observation
When talking of interest in financial terms, there are two types of interests we should be aware of. One is the interest we earn on our investments and the other is interest we incur on the loans we take.
First let us look at the delicious thought of earning interest.
By choosing the right instruments to invest our funds, like a bank account, or term deposits with banks or finance companies, we can maximise the interest we earn. Do not get carried away by the interest rate you are offered especially by finance companies 'coz the higher the interest rate you are offered, the higher the risk of losing your money. Again, do a long term planning of your future funds requirements, ‘coz if you are forced to break a term deposit, you might end up in loosing some of your capital. Most of the banks today offer accounts with comparatively higher interest rates when you operate them thru the internet or thru the phone. By using a combination of such high interest accounts and a day to day account, you can maximise the interest you earn by keeping your money as far as possible in your savings account.
NB: We are talking of interest here, not stocks & shares
Now the unpleasant thought of incurring interest
Like cholesterol, there is good interest & bad interest. By good interest I mean the interest you pay on your mortgage, car loans, hire purchases, etc. When you have paid off the loan on which you have been paying interest, you own the asset! You are able to budget for them as they are regular payments and you know when you will pay your loan off.
Obviously, bad interest refers to interest on loans you have taken to pay off your bills, meet unexpected expenses, credit card interests, overdrafts etc, The list is endless. You gain nothing when you have paid off such a loan. While conceding taking such loans sometimes is unavoidable, the effort should be to pay it as soon as possible, as much as you can so as to reduce the amount of interest you pay.
Remember, on any loan that you take, when you pay more than the minimum amount you are required to pay, you are paying off more of the loan faster, which in turn reduces the total interest you will be paying at the end of your loan term..
____________________________________________________________
First let us look at the delicious thought of earning interest.
By choosing the right instruments to invest our funds, like a bank account, or term deposits with banks or finance companies, we can maximise the interest we earn. Do not get carried away by the interest rate you are offered especially by finance companies 'coz the higher the interest rate you are offered, the higher the risk of losing your money. Again, do a long term planning of your future funds requirements, ‘coz if you are forced to break a term deposit, you might end up in loosing some of your capital. Most of the banks today offer accounts with comparatively higher interest rates when you operate them thru the internet or thru the phone. By using a combination of such high interest accounts and a day to day account, you can maximise the interest you earn by keeping your money as far as possible in your savings account.
NB: We are talking of interest here, not stocks & shares
Now the unpleasant thought of incurring interest
Like cholesterol, there is good interest & bad interest. By good interest I mean the interest you pay on your mortgage, car loans, hire purchases, etc. When you have paid off the loan on which you have been paying interest, you own the asset! You are able to budget for them as they are regular payments and you know when you will pay your loan off.
Obviously, bad interest refers to interest on loans you have taken to pay off your bills, meet unexpected expenses, credit card interests, overdrafts etc, The list is endless. You gain nothing when you have paid off such a loan. While conceding taking such loans sometimes is unavoidable, the effort should be to pay it as soon as possible, as much as you can so as to reduce the amount of interest you pay.
Remember, on any loan that you take, when you pay more than the minimum amount you are required to pay, you are paying off more of the loan faster, which in turn reduces the total interest you will be paying at the end of your loan term..
____________________________________________________________
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