Yesterday while returning from Bombay Central on a local train home I noticed a gentleman standing next to me who was holding on to one packet too many.
Often I have been in a similar situation and have regretted consolidating my belongings into one handleable package before boarding the train. And I have always ended up with pain in my arm and shoulder.
I decided to help him out by giving him a plastic carry bag from the collection that I normally carry with me.
He was pleasantly surprised and in a gesture of his appreciation he gave me a pack of two DVD's. I told him that he need not do that, but he insisted.
Neither of us knew each other nor it is likely that we will ever meet again. I don't even know his name nor does he know mine, but the simple act of doing good does still yield good results.
In school, we learned that in our day and on a daily basis we should do a good deed. Boy scouts would do their share of good deed and add a knot to their scarf leaving us in an envious position.
But we don't need to be boy scouts to help anyone.
So, go ahead, do your daily good deed and life will often surprise you.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Woman V/s Woman
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times (with apologies to Charles Dickens) for women in India.
For the first time in the history of independent India, a woman was about to be elevated to the post of president of the country. After a bitter fight to this high office a woman was elected to the office of the president of the country. The main opposition did not spare any effort to tarnish her image in the press and went to town about how this person was not at all qualified to become the president. The main party stuck to its guns and it had numbers in its favor thus they cooked a snook at all the slander that went around and ensured in a typical give-n-take (with the Communists) managed to bring a woman as the 13th president of the country. It was the best time for women of India.
Parallel to this was the sad development of a highly decorated and capable women officer being denied her due as the top cop of the capital city. Here was a women who is not only most decorated but has succeeded in every position that she has been assigned to but also has one of the cleanest image in the annals of police history. She was conveniently passed over by the same party that went to town about promoting women power. And what did the opposition do, it just sat there and twiddled its thumbs. It was the worst time for women of India.
Tragically both the stories unfolded almost simultaneously in the capital of the country.
What answer do you have to this Madam Sonia Gandhi
For the first time in the history of independent India, a woman was about to be elevated to the post of president of the country. After a bitter fight to this high office a woman was elected to the office of the president of the country. The main opposition did not spare any effort to tarnish her image in the press and went to town about how this person was not at all qualified to become the president. The main party stuck to its guns and it had numbers in its favor thus they cooked a snook at all the slander that went around and ensured in a typical give-n-take (with the Communists) managed to bring a woman as the 13th president of the country. It was the best time for women of India.
Parallel to this was the sad development of a highly decorated and capable women officer being denied her due as the top cop of the capital city. Here was a women who is not only most decorated but has succeeded in every position that she has been assigned to but also has one of the cleanest image in the annals of police history. She was conveniently passed over by the same party that went to town about promoting women power. And what did the opposition do, it just sat there and twiddled its thumbs. It was the worst time for women of India.
Tragically both the stories unfolded almost simultaneously in the capital of the country.
What answer do you have to this Madam Sonia Gandhi
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
A building comes crashing down
In a recent man made tragedy, a seven floor building came crashing down in suburban Bombay. This happened essentially due to the shop owners allegedly tampering with the load bearing structure of the building in an attempt to increase their floor space of jewelery showroom.
The tragedy led to the death of 30 residents and left more than 20 grievously hurt. The death toll may increase as some of those injured lie comatose.
In Bombay, most of the buildings are co-operative societies where the ownership of the building is jointly held. Members carry out renovations and modifications to the structure without taking proper permissions and without doing mandatory structural stability test prior to their actions. They forget that they may be renovating their own homes but when the building comes crashing down, they too will meet the dust.
The need of the hour is for everyone to understand that 'We may have arrived on different ships, but we are in the same boat now" (quote from unknown source).
Wake up ye people of the city before it becomes your final sleep. Wake up ye local governments and other regulatory authorities before the city is reduced to a heap of rubble.
The tragedy led to the death of 30 residents and left more than 20 grievously hurt. The death toll may increase as some of those injured lie comatose.
In Bombay, most of the buildings are co-operative societies where the ownership of the building is jointly held. Members carry out renovations and modifications to the structure without taking proper permissions and without doing mandatory structural stability test prior to their actions. They forget that they may be renovating their own homes but when the building comes crashing down, they too will meet the dust.
The need of the hour is for everyone to understand that 'We may have arrived on different ships, but we are in the same boat now" (quote from unknown source).
Wake up ye people of the city before it becomes your final sleep. Wake up ye local governments and other regulatory authorities before the city is reduced to a heap of rubble.
Wearing cotton can save your skin
News
Flamesafe Maxisoft® FR Cotton Knits help save your skin.
Here is an interesting article for all personnel involved in Electrical utilities, Petro Chemical and flash fire industries. It is taken from: Popular clothing off-limits to Marines in Iraq 1st Marine Logistics Group Story by Lance Cpl. Stephen Holt
CAMP TAQADDUM, IRAQ (April 10, 2006) -- Under direction of Marine Corps commanders in Iraq, wearing synthetic athletic clothing containing polyester and nylon has been prohibited while conducting operations off of forward operating bases and camps.
The ban on popular clothing from companies like Under Armour, CoolMax and Nike comes in the wake of concerns that a substantial burn risk is associated with wearing clothing made with these synthetic materials.
When exposed to extreme heat and flames, clothing containing some synthetic materials like polyester will melt and can fuse to the skin. This essentially creates a second skin and can lead to horrific, disfiguring burns, said Navy Capt. Lynn E. Welling, the 1st Marine Logistics Group head surgeon.
“Burns can kill you and they’re horribly disfiguring. If you’re throwing (a melted synthetic material) on top of a burn, basically you have a bad burn with a bunch of plastic melting into your skin and that’s not how you want to go home to your family,” said Welling.
According to Tension Technology International, a company that specializes in synthetic fibers, most man made fabrics, such as nylon, acrylic or polyester will melt when ignited and produce a hot, sticky, melted substance causing extremely severe burns.
The Under Armour company, a favorite among many service members here, advertises that the fabric used to make their garments will wick perspiration from the skin to the outer layer of the clothing allowing the person wearing it to remain cool and dry in any condition or climate. While these qualities have been a main reason for Marines to stock up on these items, the melting side effect can be a fatal drawback, said Welling.
This point was driven home recently at a military medical facility located at Camp Ramadi, a U.S. military base on the outskirts of the city of Ramadi, arguably one of the most dangerous cities in Iraq.
“We had a Marine with significant burn injuries covering around 70 percent of his body,” said Cmdr. Joseph F. Rappold, the officer in charge of the medical unit at the base.
The Marine was injured when the armored vehicle he was riding in struck an improvised explosive device, or IED, causing his polyester shirt to melt to his skin. Even though he was wearing his protective vest Navy doctors still had to cut the melted undergarment from his torso.
For years service members with jobs that put then at a high risk of flame exposure, such as pilots and explosive ordnance disposal personnel, were kept from wearing polyester materials because of the extra burn threat. Now, with so many encounters with IED explosions, the Marines are extending this ban to everyone going “outside the wire.”
A concern among commanders is that service members will down play the problem of wearing wicking materials in combat settings because they think their body armor or uniforms will protect them.
The camouflage utility uniforms are designed to turn to ash and blow away after the material is burned, but the burn hazard is still present, said Welling, who recommends wearing 100% cotton clothing while on missions.
Even Marines who never venture off their base should be aware of the risks associated with wearing the wicking fabrics.
Recently, there was a case where a Marine’s undershirt started smoking when he was shocked by an electrical current. Fortunately, it didn’t catch on fire or melt, but the potential was there, said Welling.
The directive is straight forward and simple.
“The goal is not to bubble wrap the warrior going outside the gate, the idea is to minimize the (hazards) we have control over,” said Welling.
Flamesafe Maxisoft® FR Cotton Knits help save your skin.
Here is an interesting article for all personnel involved in Electrical utilities, Petro Chemical and flash fire industries. It is taken from: Popular clothing off-limits to Marines in Iraq 1st Marine Logistics Group Story by Lance Cpl. Stephen Holt
CAMP TAQADDUM, IRAQ (April 10, 2006) -- Under direction of Marine Corps commanders in Iraq, wearing synthetic athletic clothing containing polyester and nylon has been prohibited while conducting operations off of forward operating bases and camps.
The ban on popular clothing from companies like Under Armour, CoolMax and Nike comes in the wake of concerns that a substantial burn risk is associated with wearing clothing made with these synthetic materials.
When exposed to extreme heat and flames, clothing containing some synthetic materials like polyester will melt and can fuse to the skin. This essentially creates a second skin and can lead to horrific, disfiguring burns, said Navy Capt. Lynn E. Welling, the 1st Marine Logistics Group head surgeon.
“Burns can kill you and they’re horribly disfiguring. If you’re throwing (a melted synthetic material) on top of a burn, basically you have a bad burn with a bunch of plastic melting into your skin and that’s not how you want to go home to your family,” said Welling.
According to Tension Technology International, a company that specializes in synthetic fibers, most man made fabrics, such as nylon, acrylic or polyester will melt when ignited and produce a hot, sticky, melted substance causing extremely severe burns.
The Under Armour company, a favorite among many service members here, advertises that the fabric used to make their garments will wick perspiration from the skin to the outer layer of the clothing allowing the person wearing it to remain cool and dry in any condition or climate. While these qualities have been a main reason for Marines to stock up on these items, the melting side effect can be a fatal drawback, said Welling.
This point was driven home recently at a military medical facility located at Camp Ramadi, a U.S. military base on the outskirts of the city of Ramadi, arguably one of the most dangerous cities in Iraq.
“We had a Marine with significant burn injuries covering around 70 percent of his body,” said Cmdr. Joseph F. Rappold, the officer in charge of the medical unit at the base.
The Marine was injured when the armored vehicle he was riding in struck an improvised explosive device, or IED, causing his polyester shirt to melt to his skin. Even though he was wearing his protective vest Navy doctors still had to cut the melted undergarment from his torso.
For years service members with jobs that put then at a high risk of flame exposure, such as pilots and explosive ordnance disposal personnel, were kept from wearing polyester materials because of the extra burn threat. Now, with so many encounters with IED explosions, the Marines are extending this ban to everyone going “outside the wire.”
A concern among commanders is that service members will down play the problem of wearing wicking materials in combat settings because they think their body armor or uniforms will protect them.
The camouflage utility uniforms are designed to turn to ash and blow away after the material is burned, but the burn hazard is still present, said Welling, who recommends wearing 100% cotton clothing while on missions.
Even Marines who never venture off their base should be aware of the risks associated with wearing the wicking fabrics.
Recently, there was a case where a Marine’s undershirt started smoking when he was shocked by an electrical current. Fortunately, it didn’t catch on fire or melt, but the potential was there, said Welling.
The directive is straight forward and simple.
“The goal is not to bubble wrap the warrior going outside the gate, the idea is to minimize the (hazards) we have control over,” said Welling.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Are you being overcharged?
Two recent events have caught my attention.
Recently while making a call using my BPL Mobile phone, I noticed that I had been charged for 2 calls even when the call had lasted for just 59 seconds.
I immediately called up the Mobile Assist Center of BPL Mobile. I asked them how I had been charged for 2 minutes when the call had lasted 59 seconds including the time taken to connect to the called party? Their reply surprised me, according to the lady on the other end of the line, their system calculates a minute as 58 seconds, a call exceeding 58 seconds is treated as having consumed 2 minutes.
This is indeed shocking and worth investigating. Are all mobile operators using the same method of calculation? If so, poor consumers are being taken for a ride.
I am sure this is the handiwork of some smart alec who wants to boost bottom lines of his company using unscrupulous methods.
Second is about an article that I read about the rich and famous stealing from hotels. Given the incident above, these people who indulge in such petty theft use the excuse of being overcharged by their hosts to justify their acts.
The question I want to ask is whether institutionalized robbery is better than petty theft?
Recently while making a call using my BPL Mobile phone, I noticed that I had been charged for 2 calls even when the call had lasted for just 59 seconds.
I immediately called up the Mobile Assist Center of BPL Mobile. I asked them how I had been charged for 2 minutes when the call had lasted 59 seconds including the time taken to connect to the called party? Their reply surprised me, according to the lady on the other end of the line, their system calculates a minute as 58 seconds, a call exceeding 58 seconds is treated as having consumed 2 minutes.
This is indeed shocking and worth investigating. Are all mobile operators using the same method of calculation? If so, poor consumers are being taken for a ride.
I am sure this is the handiwork of some smart alec who wants to boost bottom lines of his company using unscrupulous methods.
Second is about an article that I read about the rich and famous stealing from hotels. Given the incident above, these people who indulge in such petty theft use the excuse of being overcharged by their hosts to justify their acts.
The question I want to ask is whether institutionalized robbery is better than petty theft?
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
As you sow, so shall you reap
Dear President Musharraf,
It seems that you have forgotten the old saying 'As you sow, so shall you reap'.
You have sown hatred, conflict, death, deceit and disorder. Now these actions have come back to haunt you. With the violence that has emanated from Lal Masjid, it has become clear to the world that places of religion are increasing being used by terrorists. In a similar development not very long back Sikh militants were flushed out of the holiest of Sikh Shrines, Shri Harmandir Sahib. This operation was done under the guidance of General A.K. Vaidya and Mrs. Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India.
Incidentally both of them were assassinated by Sikh's who took strong umbrage to the desecration of their holy shrine.
It is also said that those who forget history are bound to reap the effects of the ignorance.
You have sheltered terrorists from all parts of the world. Your army has been responsible for creating Taleban and now you have to reap the bitter harvest of your actions.
You have forgotten that the terrorists have a very limited agenda and are fanatic, therefore till you are with them they will support you but when you turn against them, they will put their agenda before anything else.
For the record, it is well known that Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale was the creation of congress which wanted to create a force against the Akali Dal. It was this same person who later turned around and lead the terror organization in Punjab during the late 70's and early 80's.
It seems that you have forgotten the old saying 'As you sow, so shall you reap'.
You have sown hatred, conflict, death, deceit and disorder. Now these actions have come back to haunt you. With the violence that has emanated from Lal Masjid, it has become clear to the world that places of religion are increasing being used by terrorists. In a similar development not very long back Sikh militants were flushed out of the holiest of Sikh Shrines, Shri Harmandir Sahib. This operation was done under the guidance of General A.K. Vaidya and Mrs. Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India.
Incidentally both of them were assassinated by Sikh's who took strong umbrage to the desecration of their holy shrine.
It is also said that those who forget history are bound to reap the effects of the ignorance.
You have sheltered terrorists from all parts of the world. Your army has been responsible for creating Taleban and now you have to reap the bitter harvest of your actions.
You have forgotten that the terrorists have a very limited agenda and are fanatic, therefore till you are with them they will support you but when you turn against them, they will put their agenda before anything else.
For the record, it is well known that Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale was the creation of congress which wanted to create a force against the Akali Dal. It was this same person who later turned around and lead the terror organization in Punjab during the late 70's and early 80's.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Insensitive Cities
Recently a woman was stabbed more than 20 times in broad daylight in a distant suburb of Mumbai.
The person who stabbed her was her spurned lover who later attempted to take his own life but failed. He was later arrested.
This incident happened in a busy area of the town where there were more than 30 bystanders who watched the sordid drama and did not think it fit to interfere. Later on this group of insensitive people also failed to offer any help to the girl who lay there losing vital blood.
The girl died yesterday. Her blood is as much on the hands of her murderer as much as it is on the hands of people who stood mute witness to this killing. Her father, a class IV employee, has called the people who stood and watched as eunuchs and rightly so.
Shame on you people who stood there watching. May you too meet such a fate as the poor girl did.
There have been times when this city has risen above tragedy but then there have been such shameless occasions when it has become completely insensitive to the plight of fellow citizens.
The person who stabbed her was her spurned lover who later attempted to take his own life but failed. He was later arrested.
This incident happened in a busy area of the town where there were more than 30 bystanders who watched the sordid drama and did not think it fit to interfere. Later on this group of insensitive people also failed to offer any help to the girl who lay there losing vital blood.
The girl died yesterday. Her blood is as much on the hands of her murderer as much as it is on the hands of people who stood mute witness to this killing. Her father, a class IV employee, has called the people who stood and watched as eunuchs and rightly so.
Shame on you people who stood there watching. May you too meet such a fate as the poor girl did.
There have been times when this city has risen above tragedy but then there have been such shameless occasions when it has become completely insensitive to the plight of fellow citizens.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Bombay Sinks once again
This time around 400 mm of rain was enough to bring the city to a complete standstill. Last time around in 2005 it took 987 mm of rain, a record established after more than 100 years, to stop this city which is being touted as the Financial Capital of the Country.
This time around, Chief Minister and Chief of Disaster Management were both touring the United States in an effort of bringing investment to the beleaguered state of Maharashtra and answering some embarrassing questions on the traffic situation in Bombay (rechristened Mumbai by the ShivSena). Also I am sure they are not revealing that the state is in deep red as far as financial condition is concerned with a record deficit of 130000 Crores (US 33.5 Billion Dollars). They also must have failed to inform that most of this money has been spent on state sponsored irrigation projects which have failed to deliver and are far from being complete.
And now a political blame game circus has started amongst Shiv Sena that controls the local government which directly administers Bombay and Congress / NCP combine that uses the city as capital of Maharashtra State.
All we want is dry roads, freedom from water logging, clean drinking water, uninterrupted power supply and train services that run on time.
Dear Shiv Sena, Congress, NCP, Samajwadi Party, etc., if anyone happens to read this, please stop filling your pockets at the cost of people of this city.
Actions that we can take to stop this trend are
This time around, Chief Minister and Chief of Disaster Management were both touring the United States in an effort of bringing investment to the beleaguered state of Maharashtra and answering some embarrassing questions on the traffic situation in Bombay (rechristened Mumbai by the ShivSena). Also I am sure they are not revealing that the state is in deep red as far as financial condition is concerned with a record deficit of 130000 Crores (US 33.5 Billion Dollars). They also must have failed to inform that most of this money has been spent on state sponsored irrigation projects which have failed to deliver and are far from being complete.
And now a political blame game circus has started amongst Shiv Sena that controls the local government which directly administers Bombay and Congress / NCP combine that uses the city as capital of Maharashtra State.
All we want is dry roads, freedom from water logging, clean drinking water, uninterrupted power supply and train services that run on time.
Dear Shiv Sena, Congress, NCP, Samajwadi Party, etc., if anyone happens to read this, please stop filling your pockets at the cost of people of this city.
Actions that we can take to stop this trend are
- Stop using plastic carry bags, switch to cloth or jute bags that are reusable. This action alone will prevent clogging of drains in the event of a deluge. Actively canvass for this switch amongst your friends and relatives.
- Report any incident of encroachment of public land, cutting of mangroves and indiscriminate reclamation of land.
- Promote rain harvesting.
- Purchase only dwelling units that are having a valid occupation certificate. This ensures that the builder has made the necessary payment for additional infrastructure to the municipal corporation. It also ensures that the building has followed all development control rules required for a proper planned city.
- Plant trees, prevent cutting of trees.
- Actively protest against companies that cut trees to put up advertisements by not using their products in the locality where such hoardings exist
Friday, June 29, 2007
The Importance of a Customer
What all organizations need to frame on every desk of every executive for reading on a daily basis. And also on all walls wherever there is space available.
“A customer is the most important visitor in our premises.
He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him.
He is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it.
He is not an outsider to our business. He is part of it.
We are not doing him a favour by serving him.
He is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do so.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Thursday, June 28, 2007
ICICI Bank offers 15 Lacs to Family of member killed by them
In a startling development, ICICI Bank has offered to pay 15,00,000 (1.5 Million Indian Ruppes) as compensation to the family of Mr. Y. Yadaiha, the person killed by its recovery agents in Hyderabad last week.
What is your life worth Mr. Kamath?
Can someone kill you and offer the price that you put on your life to your family?
What is your life worth Mr. Kamath?
Can someone kill you and offer the price that you put on your life to your family?
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Follow up on ICICI recovery story
Today I read in Times of India that police has arrested four employees of the recovery agency, Elite Financial Services.
The Supreme Court direction in such cases is very clear. The agencies appointed by the banks and other financial institutions are the direct responsibility of these banks and financial institutions. They can not escape the actions of their agents and associates.
I thus urge the police and powers that be that Mr. Kamath, CEO of ICICI Bank be arrested and put behind bars as an exemplary punishment. This will serve as an eyeopener for all the banks that are operating within the country and their executives who sit in air-conditioned office and are responsible for the reprehensible activities of their agents and associates.
One top person being sent to jail will wake up everyone down the line. But I think this is again going to be wishful thinking.
The Supreme Court direction in such cases is very clear. The agencies appointed by the banks and other financial institutions are the direct responsibility of these banks and financial institutions. They can not escape the actions of their agents and associates.
I thus urge the police and powers that be that Mr. Kamath, CEO of ICICI Bank be arrested and put behind bars as an exemplary punishment. This will serve as an eyeopener for all the banks that are operating within the country and their executives who sit in air-conditioned office and are responsible for the reprehensible activities of their agents and associates.
One top person being sent to jail will wake up everyone down the line. But I think this is again going to be wishful thinking.
Some more information on Crezendo
The other day I wrote on the controversy surrounding the Crezendo Condom from Hindustan Latex. Since then there has been an explosion of visitors to my blog.
Sex really sells!
While searching for more information about the product, many people visited my blog. This made me search too.
And I found a very hilarious account on this link http://kennysia.com: Ansell vibe4u Vibrating Condom Review
Also, as this product sells for AUD (Australian Dollar) 12 in Australia, you can make a killing exporting it from here by buying it for Rs 125/- (Less than 3 AUD) and selling it for 12. How's that for a profit.
Please send generous donations to me when you are able to capitalize on this idea
Sex really sells!
While searching for more information about the product, many people visited my blog. This made me search too.
And I found a very hilarious account on this link http://kennysia.com: Ansell vibe4u Vibrating Condom Review
Also, as this product sells for AUD (Australian Dollar) 12 in Australia, you can make a killing exporting it from here by buying it for Rs 125/- (Less than 3 AUD) and selling it for 12. How's that for a profit.
Please send generous donations to me when you are able to capitalize on this idea
Monday, June 25, 2007
Death to ICICI Bank
Today I read a shocking incident pertaining to recovery of personal loan by ICICI Bank.
In Hyderabad, a person has been detained illegally and beaten up brutally by a private recovery agency of ICICI Bank.
This person later died due to his injuries at a local hospital.
The police has registered a case of wrongful confinement and culpable homicide not amounting to murder! How can they register as culpable homicide not amounting to murder when an actual murder has taken place.
All this after the Supreme Court of India giving clear guidelines to all the banks operating within India on methods of recovery. The Court has clearly said that 'There will be no use of force'. But the banks don't want to listen.
This person lost his life for a paltry sum of 15,000.
I wish death to ICICI Bank.
Read the complete article here
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Man_dies_after_being_confined_by_debt_recovery_men/articleshow/2145190.cms
In Hyderabad, a person has been detained illegally and beaten up brutally by a private recovery agency of ICICI Bank.
This person later died due to his injuries at a local hospital.
The police has registered a case of wrongful confinement and culpable homicide not amounting to murder! How can they register as culpable homicide not amounting to murder when an actual murder has taken place.
All this after the Supreme Court of India giving clear guidelines to all the banks operating within India on methods of recovery. The Court has clearly said that 'There will be no use of force'. But the banks don't want to listen.
This person lost his life for a paltry sum of 15,000.
I wish death to ICICI Bank.
Read the complete article here
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Man_dies_after_being_confined_by_debt_recovery_men/articleshow/2145190.cms
Friday, June 22, 2007
A personal experience with credit cards
I want to tell you my personal experience with credit cards.
I started with a single card from Standard Chartered Bank in the year 1990. This was a Master Card, very soon they sent me another free card with Visa affiliation. Thus I had two cards.
One of my friends was working in a DSA for ANZ Grindlay's bank and he requested that I take a card from him in a particularly lean month of sales for him. Thus I got my third card, very soon ANZ Grindlays sent me another card with Visa affiliation. Thus now I had four cards.
I very soon acquired another credit card, this time from American Express called the green card.
At this point of time, I was feeling on top of the world. I had a combined credit line of more than 5 Lacs, which at that point of time meant that I could buy a house using just my credit cards!
All through the time, I used my cards judiciously and never maxed them out, although the temptation to do so arose on many occasions.
Being in the IT industry, I fell into a debt trap following the dot com bust that happened in year 2000-2001.
I now had an outstanding on my card and no source to pay it up. Very soon the bill collectors were on my back. I had to answer one harassing call after another.
Sometime in June 2001, I settled with the credit card company and paid them their outstanding dues after getting a discount from them.
But before I did this, I did my home work. I insisted on a settlement letter from the company (Standard Chartered Bank, which by then had taken over ANZ Grindlays) before I made my payment to them. For some strange reason they asked me to pay 96000 in six installments of 16000 each even when I offered to pay them in one go.
Later on I learned that this was another of their dirty tricks. What they are banking upon is that the payer will falter and in their settlement letter they mention that even if you miss out on any one payment, the settlement stands canceled and the money already paid stands forfeited!
Anyway I managed to pay all the installments in time. But I kept getting their statements showing outstanding dues for the next 1 full year. When I complained to them, they said that it takes time for the statements to stop. This I found hard to believe given the fact that everything they do is computerized and they have the ability to suspend a card within an hours notice. During this period when the statements were still coming, I had to confront a bunch of bill collectors, who I could ward off only when I showed them my settlement letter along with the receipt of the payments that I had made.
I held on to the American Express Credit Card just in case of any emergency.
During this time, I have had to fight American Express for waiver of charges on many occasions. I once withdrew cash of 8000 and they levied me two separate charges while it was their system that was at fault as it did not allow withdrawal of more than 5000 from the ATM. When I took this up with them, they reversed the charges.
Tell me, is this not a trap? How many people must have been shortchanged this way?
At the time of renewal of this card, when American Express charged me the annual fees, I refused to pay and told them that they could cancel my card. They waived the charges and I have not paid any annual fee for the last three years.
On another occasion when I paid my monthly dues at an American Express Bank branch, my cheque went missing. Inexplicably this happened at their own office. They put late charges on my account and also charged me interest for the delayed payment. I once again fought with them and accused them of probably shredding my cheque just to levy late charges and interest. When confronted thus and in the light of evidence that I had always paid on time everytime, they had no option but to reverse my charges.
Thus the readers should remain vigilant of all the charges that appear on their statement and fight back to have charges they don't agree to be reversed. Using a credit card only in emergencies or in situations where cash is not accepted is the best way to handle them.
Do not make a costly purchase on your credit card. Save for such extravaganzas. If you do make such a purchase opt for the EMI scheme from the company. This carries a much smaller percentage rate on the credit that you avail.
I started with a single card from Standard Chartered Bank in the year 1990. This was a Master Card, very soon they sent me another free card with Visa affiliation. Thus I had two cards.
One of my friends was working in a DSA for ANZ Grindlay's bank and he requested that I take a card from him in a particularly lean month of sales for him. Thus I got my third card, very soon ANZ Grindlays sent me another card with Visa affiliation. Thus now I had four cards.
I very soon acquired another credit card, this time from American Express called the green card.
At this point of time, I was feeling on top of the world. I had a combined credit line of more than 5 Lacs, which at that point of time meant that I could buy a house using just my credit cards!
All through the time, I used my cards judiciously and never maxed them out, although the temptation to do so arose on many occasions.
Being in the IT industry, I fell into a debt trap following the dot com bust that happened in year 2000-2001.
I now had an outstanding on my card and no source to pay it up. Very soon the bill collectors were on my back. I had to answer one harassing call after another.
Sometime in June 2001, I settled with the credit card company and paid them their outstanding dues after getting a discount from them.
But before I did this, I did my home work. I insisted on a settlement letter from the company (Standard Chartered Bank, which by then had taken over ANZ Grindlays) before I made my payment to them. For some strange reason they asked me to pay 96000 in six installments of 16000 each even when I offered to pay them in one go.
Later on I learned that this was another of their dirty tricks. What they are banking upon is that the payer will falter and in their settlement letter they mention that even if you miss out on any one payment, the settlement stands canceled and the money already paid stands forfeited!
Anyway I managed to pay all the installments in time. But I kept getting their statements showing outstanding dues for the next 1 full year. When I complained to them, they said that it takes time for the statements to stop. This I found hard to believe given the fact that everything they do is computerized and they have the ability to suspend a card within an hours notice. During this period when the statements were still coming, I had to confront a bunch of bill collectors, who I could ward off only when I showed them my settlement letter along with the receipt of the payments that I had made.
I held on to the American Express Credit Card just in case of any emergency.
During this time, I have had to fight American Express for waiver of charges on many occasions. I once withdrew cash of 8000 and they levied me two separate charges while it was their system that was at fault as it did not allow withdrawal of more than 5000 from the ATM. When I took this up with them, they reversed the charges.
Tell me, is this not a trap? How many people must have been shortchanged this way?
At the time of renewal of this card, when American Express charged me the annual fees, I refused to pay and told them that they could cancel my card. They waived the charges and I have not paid any annual fee for the last three years.
On another occasion when I paid my monthly dues at an American Express Bank branch, my cheque went missing. Inexplicably this happened at their own office. They put late charges on my account and also charged me interest for the delayed payment. I once again fought with them and accused them of probably shredding my cheque just to levy late charges and interest. When confronted thus and in the light of evidence that I had always paid on time everytime, they had no option but to reverse my charges.
Thus the readers should remain vigilant of all the charges that appear on their statement and fight back to have charges they don't agree to be reversed. Using a credit card only in emergencies or in situations where cash is not accepted is the best way to handle them.
Do not make a costly purchase on your credit card. Save for such extravaganzas. If you do make such a purchase opt for the EMI scheme from the company. This carries a much smaller percentage rate on the credit that you avail.
Now Government wakes up to credit card fraud
An article that appeared today in the Mumbai Mirror, edition dated 22nd June 2007 talks about MRTPC getting into act to probe the wrong doing of Credit Card companies.
It is a known fact amongst people who watch this industry that this kind of skimming has been happening for year. The Credit Card Industry is so loaded with money that they have been able to buy silence from the authorities.
My question is, when a person commits a robbery by snatching a chain on the street, you first beat him up, then haul him to the nearest police station, then the police extracts their pond of flesh from the thief. Later he is consigned to the legal system where the reason why he did the act in the first place is ignored and he is sent to prison.
How many such cases can you remember of corporate thieves going to jail? Not many I believe. Therefore it becomes all the more important that this industry is reined in and the MBA's who head and manage these schemes be sent to jail. Only then the white-collar people will realize that they can not get away with fraud and larceny.
Imagine a credit card issuing company like ICICI which has 20 Million cards committing a fraud of 100 rupees on 10% of their card base. Do you think this does not happen? Wait for the MRTPC report which will tell you the truth unless these companies are able to buy the investigators from here too.
Article reproduced below for your reading pleasure.
MRTPC orders probe into credit card fees
The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) has asked the Director General of Investigation and Registration (DGIR) to probe the issue and report back, sources have revealed.
The commission ordered the probe after taking cognizance of reports that claimed credit card issuers extracted more than Rs 6,000 crore as late fee, cash, advance fee, billed finance fee, overlimit fee, cash withdrawal fee, insurance charges, cheque pick-up fee and service taxes during the past 10 years.
DGIR would direct banks to furnish details of their income during last three-four years derived from other than the credit limits (extra charges), the sources added.
As per the MRTPC Act, DGIR has to submit its preliminary investigation report before the commission within 90 days.
The commission has already initiated judicial enquiry against Citibank, HSBC, ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank for adopting unfair practices for selling credit cards, as the DGIR submitted its preliminary report in which it suspected these organisation to have violated norms.
In its report, DGIR had found that these banks were making false promises to their credit card customers and caused loss to the general public by violating the rules framed by the Reserve Bank of
The commission had initiated judicial enquiry against HDFC on November 10 last on the same grounds.
The sources added enquiries against American Express Bank, ABN Amro and country’s largest
Thursday, June 21, 2007
CIBIL the new Evil
CIBIL (Credit Information Bureau of India Limited) is the new evil that threatens to disturb the lives of common Indian people.
CIIBIL setup by an Act of the Government of India, is a privately held company. The mandate of this company is to provide lenders with data on people who have availed credit. This agency monitors all loans, credit card data and personal loan information.
But the problem is the company will not provide you with your own credit report!
Internationally too, credit bureau's followed a similar method until consumers fought back and got the right to access their own credit report at least once a year free of cost.
How does this report affect you. Read below experience of international consumers
More writing on the problem can be accessed at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6612374/
CIIBIL setup by an Act of the Government of India, is a privately held company. The mandate of this company is to provide lenders with data on people who have availed credit. This agency monitors all loans, credit card data and personal loan information.But the problem is the company will not provide you with your own credit report!
Internationally too, credit bureau's followed a similar method until consumers fought back and got the right to access their own credit report at least once a year free of cost.
How does this report affect you. Read below experience of international consumers
The Creditor/Consumer relationship seesaws
Originally, credit reporting services were created for the benefit of creditors. In the beginning, the consumer just went along with the system. However, as time went on, the consumer, backed by the government, forced the issue and gained some encouraging ground. Errors on credit reports could drastically affect someone’s life, in that they could be refused employment, refused tenancy, refused credit, and generally be given a bad name in the credit industry. So the consumer fought for access to their credit information.
Now, as the system stands, the scales are much more balanced. Consumers have more rights: to see their credit report information, to object to errors in them, and a number of other positive outcomes. And for the credit bureaus, more information could be collected, and they could sell that information to marketers for extra profits.
So it seems that both sides are content with the system. But each side, the consumer and the credit bureau, is constantly jockeying for a better position. So the relationship continues, back and forth. But the bottom line for consumers is, as mentioned, credit reports can deeply affect their lives. That’s why it’s so important to check your credit report regularly – and have peace of mind.
Taken from http://www.thehistoryof.net/history-of-credit-reports.html
More writing on the problem can be accessed at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6612374/
What kind of prudes we have become..
Yesterday, I read a lead article in the Times of India, Mumbai edition that talked about MP government getting upset over the sale of Crezendo condoms manufactured by our very own public sector undertaking Hindustan Latex Limited.
It seems that the BJP government sees condoms only as a birth prevention device and they would have nothing to do with this product being sold in the market. They want the sales stopped and the product withdrawn (pun unintended).
What kind of prudes have we become?
For those who don't know the product, it is available online at http://shopping.sify.com/shopping/product_detail.php?pid=13177041&prodid=14210253
and is described as
CREZENDO VIBRATING RING FOR ULTIMATE PLEASURE --- The pack has a vibrating ring and three premium condoms. With Crezendo Vibrating Ring you can take your lovemaking to places it hasn't been before. Crezendo Vibrating ring is designed to take you for a 20 minute joyride through the realms of vibrating pleasure. It provides the ultimate stimulation for you and your partner. It is safe , reliable and comes with an instruction leaflet. It is truly your passport to "The Republic of Pleasure" (From the sify online e-commerce website, link provided above, not my words please)
Any dumb adult would know that intercourse is only possible when the mind is driven by desire and pleasure. It is that aching feeling that sends the blood rushing to the organs of procreation / recreation. Nobody indulges in sex only for the purpose of procreation. If that was the case there would be no rapes taking place in the world. I remember reading a quote which said that "If sex was such a dirty thing, why do people do it with someone they love" (source unknown).
Even to procreate, the process of copulation has to take place. And this is not possible if there is no rush of blood to the relevant organs of the body. A condom can only be rolled on if the stick is up (to put it in the most politically correct way).
When will the powers that be realize that there are more important issues like poverty, bad roads, unavailability of water and electricity to name some of the problems that affect the people of the country?
I agree that population is also a major issue, but at least they can leave the choice of condoms out of it.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Does anyone remember Tagore?
Recently I happened to watch a program on SonyPIX a television channel that offers its viewers a different fare than regular English Movie Channels.
But this was a non-film program that was called 'Actor's Studio' Basically this program brings aspiring actors, directors, writers and all other people who work in the industry face to face with a famous personality.
And this is a question - answer session which is not moderated at all. Imagine Amitabh Bacchan doing such a jig on some channel in India, the response would be terrific to say the least.
During the course of the interview a person in the audience asked Martin Sheen whether he has had a first hand experience that has touched him and how he has been able to bring that into his acting.
Martin Sheen related an incident where being unable to attend his father's funeral, he was suffering untold mental misery. During this time, he was asked to do a scene which wanted him to shout, cry and generally get very upset. He told the director, I will give it just one shot and that's it. Martin then proceeded to let go his emotions keeping in mind his failure to attend his father's funeral.
Continuing in the same vien, he talked about his visit to Agra where he happened to listen to a poem. This poem so moved him, that he was completely transported to another world. He talked about the high regard he has had since then for India and its people who produced such a poet.
Do you know who he was talking about? He was talking about our very own Noble Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore. And the poem he was talking about was 'Where the Mind is Without Fear'.
Martin then asked the audience whether they would like to hear the poem, to which they responded in the affirmative. He narrated the entire poem extempore! When he did so, the hair on the back of my head were standing at their ends.
Now how many Indians do you know who can repeat this feat? Not many I believe.
For all those who do not remember, here is the beautiful poem reproduced for you.
But this was a non-film program that was called 'Actor's Studio' Basically this program brings aspiring actors, directors, writers and all other people who work in the industry face to face with a famous personality.
And this is a question - answer session which is not moderated at all. Imagine Amitabh Bacchan doing such a jig on some channel in India, the response would be terrific to say the least.
During the course of the interview a person in the audience asked Martin Sheen whether he has had a first hand experience that has touched him and how he has been able to bring that into his acting.
Martin Sheen related an incident where being unable to attend his father's funeral, he was suffering untold mental misery. During this time, he was asked to do a scene which wanted him to shout, cry and generally get very upset. He told the director, I will give it just one shot and that's it. Martin then proceeded to let go his emotions keeping in mind his failure to attend his father's funeral.
Continuing in the same vien, he talked about his visit to Agra where he happened to listen to a poem. This poem so moved him, that he was completely transported to another world. He talked about the high regard he has had since then for India and its people who produced such a poet.
Do you know who he was talking about? He was talking about our very own Noble Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore. And the poem he was talking about was 'Where the Mind is Without Fear'.
Martin then asked the audience whether they would like to hear the poem, to which they responded in the affirmative. He narrated the entire poem extempore! When he did so, the hair on the back of my head were standing at their ends.
Now how many Indians do you know who can repeat this feat? Not many I believe.
For all those who do not remember, here is the beautiful poem reproduced for you.
Where the Mind in Without Fear
Rabindranath Tagore
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls
Where the words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary sand of dead habit
Where the mind is lead forward by thee into ever widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, My father, Let my country awake.
Rabindranath Tagore
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls
Where the words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary sand of dead habit
Where the mind is lead forward by thee into ever widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, My father, Let my country awake.
I just found a link to this wonderful program on wikipedia. Have a look!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_the_Actors_Studio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_the_Actors_Studio
Monday, June 11, 2007
The Toxic Entrepreneur
David Javitch: Employee Management
The Toxic Entrepreneur
It's time to take a hard look at yourself to see if your behaviors and attitudes are creating a toxic environment at your company.
By David Javitch
May 01, 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/employeemanagementcolumnistdavidjavitch/article159442.html
Last month, I wrote about toxic employees--those individuals who, like nasty chemicals, can be harmful and destroy almost anyone or anything they come in contact with. You may have even known this type of employee or, worse yet, may have employed one. If you're lucky, you don't have one working for you now!
But did you ever consider the fact that you could be a toxic person yourself? My guess is, it's never even crossed your mind. After all, you're the boss and you've worked hard to build a successful organization. So how could you be toxic?
It happens all the time.
But you're the boss: You call the shots, you're in charge, you sign the paychecks and employees report to you. So how could your behavior be problematic? Well, it can be problematic even if you are in charge or, more important, it can be problematic simply because you are in charge.
Whatever your management style, whatever your company size or whatever your industry, your employees want and need to admire and respect you. They want to look up to you, and often, they want to model themselves after you. However, when your behavior or attitude turns toxic, you confuse your employees, who previously looked up to you. They experience a conflict between wanting to see you as credible, trustworthy and admirable, but are actually experiencing you as negative, and counterproductive to productivity and worker satisfaction.
Clearly, you have a problem on your hands.
Remember, just because you're in charge doesn't mean you're exempt from causing problems. And your employees aren't immune from imitating your problematic behaviors and attitudes. Employees try--and often succeed--in repeating the behaviors they see, especially the behavior of their boss. If your actions or thoughts are negative and counterproductive to success, then you've created a standard, a norm and a model for others to replicate. And neither you nor your employees are immune from the virus-like spread of these behaviors and attitudes to others. Soon, the work environment becomes toxic, with productivity, profits and morale all decreasing. And you may not even know why.
The Signs of Toxicity
Often, the signs of toxicity are obvious to others but not to you. They're most likely hidden by your refusal or inability to see them. Some of the most virulent forms of this poisonous negativity include:
Fourth, identify which part of what you do is really the issue. Are you verbally critical or abusive? Are you overly impatient? Are you excessively fault finding? Do you complain too much about employees or productivity? Are you more negative with certain people, processes or events? Do you believe that people shouldn't need support or encouragement from you? Do you purposely avoid interacting with certain employees? Do you provide more negative feedback than positive to others?
Take Action
Once you've identified someone whom you can trust, whether that's a close friend, an executive coach or consultant, or another business owner you know well, here are a few steps you can take to resolve the problem:
In addition to working through the issues with your mentor, it's also important to identify a person with whom you've had difficulty because of your toxic behavior. Once you're on the path to recovery and have interacted with them again, ask them for their perception of this latest contact. Find out how they perceived the "new you." You can truly begin the process of de-toxifying when you demonstrate to that person that you honestly want feedback and that giving it in no way will result in any retribution, even if the feedback is negative. Then praise or thank them for giving you the feedback.
You'll gain brownie points with this person simply by requesting the information and then responding in a positive manner. You'll be showing yourself to be a more open person, intent on gaining information to improve your behavior. And in that way, you'll be modeling for that employee a positive behavior that hopefully they'll use with others. In one fell swoop, you'll have accomplished two goals at once. And you'll be well on your way to eliminating the toxicity in your life.
David G. Javitch, Ph.D., is Entrepreneur'com's "Employee Management" columnist and an organizational psychologist and president of Javitch Associates, an organizational consulting firm in Newton, Massachusetts. With more than 20 years of experience working with executives in various industries, he's an internationally recognized author, keynote speaker and consultant on key management and leadership issues.
Copyright © 2007 Entrepreneur.com, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy
The Toxic Entrepreneur
It's time to take a hard look at yourself to see if your behaviors and attitudes are creating a toxic environment at your company.
By David Javitch
May 01, 2006
URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/employeemanagementcolumnistdavidjavitch/article159442.html
Last month, I wrote about toxic employees--those individuals who, like nasty chemicals, can be harmful and destroy almost anyone or anything they come in contact with. You may have even known this type of employee or, worse yet, may have employed one. If you're lucky, you don't have one working for you now!
But did you ever consider the fact that you could be a toxic person yourself? My guess is, it's never even crossed your mind. After all, you're the boss and you've worked hard to build a successful organization. So how could you be toxic?
It happens all the time.
But you're the boss: You call the shots, you're in charge, you sign the paychecks and employees report to you. So how could your behavior be problematic? Well, it can be problematic even if you are in charge or, more important, it can be problematic simply because you are in charge.
Whatever your management style, whatever your company size or whatever your industry, your employees want and need to admire and respect you. They want to look up to you, and often, they want to model themselves after you. However, when your behavior or attitude turns toxic, you confuse your employees, who previously looked up to you. They experience a conflict between wanting to see you as credible, trustworthy and admirable, but are actually experiencing you as negative, and counterproductive to productivity and worker satisfaction.
Clearly, you have a problem on your hands.
Remember, just because you're in charge doesn't mean you're exempt from causing problems. And your employees aren't immune from imitating your problematic behaviors and attitudes. Employees try--and often succeed--in repeating the behaviors they see, especially the behavior of their boss. If your actions or thoughts are negative and counterproductive to success, then you've created a standard, a norm and a model for others to replicate. And neither you nor your employees are immune from the virus-like spread of these behaviors and attitudes to others. Soon, the work environment becomes toxic, with productivity, profits and morale all decreasing. And you may not even know why.
The Signs of Toxicity
Often, the signs of toxicity are obvious to others but not to you. They're most likely hidden by your refusal or inability to see them. Some of the most virulent forms of this poisonous negativity include:
- Increases in turnover and/or absenteeism
- Increases in industrial accidents
- Increases in employee complaints
- Increases in your criticism of others
- Increases in your employee demands that go beyond acceptability
- Increases in your cryptic, negative or sarcastic comments
- Increases in arguments
- Decreases in productivity and profitability
- Decreases in the numbers of employees who seek out your opinion or direction
- Decreases in morale
- Decreases in your satisfaction with others
- Decreases in successes and accomplishments from both you and your employees
Fourth, identify which part of what you do is really the issue. Are you verbally critical or abusive? Are you overly impatient? Are you excessively fault finding? Do you complain too much about employees or productivity? Are you more negative with certain people, processes or events? Do you believe that people shouldn't need support or encouragement from you? Do you purposely avoid interacting with certain employees? Do you provide more negative feedback than positive to others?
Take Action
Once you've identified someone whom you can trust, whether that's a close friend, an executive coach or consultant, or another business owner you know well, here are a few steps you can take to resolve the problem:
- Discuss and share with this person exactly which behaviors or attitudes seem to at issue. Make sure you both agree on these points.
- State why you want to change or modify these behaviors.
- Identify ways or methods you can begin to transform the challenging areas. Spend a lot of time on this one because this is critical in achieving success.
- Set up a realistic timeframe to achieve your goals.
- Ascertain ways to evaluate your progress and know when you've succeeded implementing new behaviors and attitudes.
- Finally, be sure to reward yourself for your progress. Rewarding yourself will increase the probability that you'll repeat these positive behaviors.
In addition to working through the issues with your mentor, it's also important to identify a person with whom you've had difficulty because of your toxic behavior. Once you're on the path to recovery and have interacted with them again, ask them for their perception of this latest contact. Find out how they perceived the "new you." You can truly begin the process of de-toxifying when you demonstrate to that person that you honestly want feedback and that giving it in no way will result in any retribution, even if the feedback is negative. Then praise or thank them for giving you the feedback.
You'll gain brownie points with this person simply by requesting the information and then responding in a positive manner. You'll be showing yourself to be a more open person, intent on gaining information to improve your behavior. And in that way, you'll be modeling for that employee a positive behavior that hopefully they'll use with others. In one fell swoop, you'll have accomplished two goals at once. And you'll be well on your way to eliminating the toxicity in your life.
David G. Javitch, Ph.D., is Entrepreneur'com's "Employee Management" columnist and an organizational psychologist and president of Javitch Associates, an organizational consulting firm in Newton, Massachusetts. With more than 20 years of experience working with executives in various industries, he's an internationally recognized author, keynote speaker and consultant on key management and leadership issues.
Copyright © 2007 Entrepreneur.com, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Customer Culture: It All Starts and Ends With Listening
Article Appearing in www.customerthink.com
Access here at http://www.customerthink.com/article/customer_culture_starts_ends_with_listening
May 29, 2007
By Olga Botero, Grupo BancolombiaAccess here at http://www.customerthink.com/article/customer_culture_starts_ends_with_listening
May 29, 2007
There was an airline in Colombia that had very old airplanes that had problems very often, yet the airline was the leader in customer satisfaction and loyalty. How did it do it? By applying some basic principles that created a customer-oriented culture.
"Customer culture"—which along with "customer focus" has become some of consultants' favorite buzz phrases—relates to instilling values and behaviors in a company. It is oriented toward implementing a process in which a company understands what customers need and want and develops products and services accordingly.
The emphasis on getting a customer-centric culture right is definitely a growing trend. In its 2006 study, High-Performance Workforce, Accenture asked 470 global executives to classify the greatest challenges their organizations were facing. Two issues had the biggest response: information technology (48 percent of respondents) and keeping up with industry change (47 percent). And to keep up with change, 75 percent of the organizations surveyed stated that the most important element was creating a culture that matched the company's strategy.
But how does one create a culture within an organization? A culture is based on values, traits, patterns, competences and behaviors. It all starts with defining those values, behaviors and traits. Then it is essential that people are recruited based on those values and behaviors. If, for example, one of those behaviors is service orientation, you should recruit people who behave that way. It's easy. You can observe people who have service orientation driving. They are the ones who let you pass in a traffic jam. They are also the people who help you with your grocery bags when you are carrying too many coming out of the supermarket.
Power within the people
An organization's management does not have the power to directly control each customer's experience. That power is possessed by the people who deal directly with the customers. Here's where training and empowerment comes in. Processes need to be designed according to those values and behavior the company wants with customers. And people need to be trained and empowered to be in sync.
Finally, people need to be accountable and rewarded according to how they behave. Accountability and motivation should be geared on the same values, behaviors, competences.
For a customer-centric culture, there are some values that are not negotiable. These are the values in which any human relationship should be based and built on. I bet you can guess them. The same values that are the basis for building strong, long lasting relationships are the ones that create exceptional experiences: respect and trust.
‘ People tolerated all the airline's problems, and the airline, in turn, was loved! ’
That Colombian airline had the slogan, Por el respeto—For your respect. Its core value was respect. Not only did the airline use it in advertising, but also its whole organization behaved accordingly. So even though the old airlines kept breaking down, the airline staff always told the truth and tried to come up with the best alternative, even if it meant staying at the airport waiting for many hours. Employees listened to, and solved, customer complaints with dedication.
It was great to listen to people in the waiting lounges: "It is so sad. They had to cancel the flight." People tolerated all the airline's problems, and the airline, in turn, was loved! Customers forgave every bad thing that happened because they were treated with respect.
And how does one start to build respect and trust? By listening. That is, careful, dedicated, concentrated, focused listening. It all starts and ends there. If you listen to your partner, you understand what he wants, what he values, how he feels. If you listen carefully, you understand people have different points of view and you learn how to behave accordingly. By focusing on listening, the other person feels valued and respected. And if you understand each other, you know how to build trust.
In the companies I have worked at, we spend a lot of time teaching people to listen. To really pay attention when customers call or contacted us. When we visit them, we sit and listen. There are many exercises to learn to listen well. It involves the way your body is positioned, how you move your eyes and how you sit. It requires you to learn to be quiet. To not speak. To ask a question and be able to sustain silence until the customer starts speaking. And even then, to just listen.
Listening is the basis for creating a customer-centric or customer-focused culture within a company. If your company is designing a customer-centric strategy, choose people who can listen or can learn how to do it. Train your people in listening skills. Motivate them to listen to each other, to listen to the customers and to listen to themselves.
By listening, you will be able to build relationships based on respect and trust. Respect and trust will bring customers experiences with your company that will be different, that will be magical. And they will appreciate it to a point of not wanting to leave. A customer culture—and, thus, a customer relationship and experience management strategy—starts and ends with listening.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Ten Procrastination Avoidance Techniques for Techies and also for all other people
Article that appeared on Dice.com about how procrastination reduces productivity
Birds and bees might not do it, but when it comes to procrastination, we humans have it down cold. Many people even elevate procrastination — known as “a hardening of the oughteries” — into an art form. As Mark Twain put it, “never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow.”
According to researchers, almost everyone procrastinates, and up to 20% of us do so chronically. Unfortunately, putting things off — besides making us less productive — also stresses people out. “The more people procrastinate, the less happy, the less healthy, and the less wealthy they are,” notes Piers Steel, an expert in motivational problems and associate professor of human resources and organizational dynamics at the
Procrastination — “to voluntarily delay an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse-off for the delay,” he says — always has repercussions. “It takes everyone’s game down a notch, at least, and some people much more than that.” Yet avoiding procrastination is almost impossible. “It’s who we are: we have a mindset that’s best suited for a hunting-and-gathering society.” Thus we’re easily sidetracked by BlackBerries, Internet surfing, IM, YouTube, foosball, and other modern workplace distractions.
Technology Drives Productivity, Procrastination
Compounding the problem, workloads are increasing, which creates a greater need for us to maintain peak productivity. Indeed, according to a 2006 survey by Accenture, nearly two-thirds of full-time employees reported their workload increased during the previous 12 to 24 months, due to insufficient staffing levels, strategic changes, or reorganizations. Of course broadly speaking, economists credit IT with helping boost workers’ productivity to record levels, which has allowed companies to accomplish more while employing fewer people.
Yet with heavier workloads, more long-term tasks to manage, and greater reliance on technology, employees face more distractions and thus tend to procrastinate more frequently. Tech workers battle even more interruptions than the average employee, given their especially heavy reliance on — if not outright fetish for — technology. “That’s the weird thing about progress,” notes Steel. “Not only does it increase our productivity, but it also speeds the delivery of our vices. So in one way, it makes work easier and harder to do at the same time.”
How to Manage Procrastination
So how can techies avoid procrastinating? “We need to get this mismatched person and environment to somehow fit together,” notes Steel. Accordingly, start by pursuing these 10 changes:
- Catalog distractions. According to a 2005 study from Basex, distractions consume 28% of a knowledge worker’s day. Accordingly, attempt to minimize workspace interruptions: let calls go to voicemail, hang a “Do Not Disturb: Coding Deadline” sign outside your cubicle, and consider noise-canceling headphones.
- Back away from the e-mail. Of all corporate distractions, e-mail arguably zaps the most productivity. “If you want to be 10–15% more productive, and this means probably an extra 30 days of work a year, turn off the automatic indicator on your e-mail,” says Steel. In other words, “lose the ding, and lose the [notification] icon too.”
- Defuse bad habits. Make bad habits — your IM addiction, or checking MySpace nonstop — harder to indulge by deleting quick-launch buttons and desktop links to related applications. “As soon as you have an impulse, even if it’s fleeting, you’ll act on it, if it’s available in those few seconds,” notes Steel.
- Banish the Dew. The predominant reason people put off tasks: they’re too tired. So get sufficient sleep and exercise, eat right, and lay off the Mountain Dew and Red Bull. Most of all, pursue unpleasant tasks when energy levels are high; you’ll accomplish them more easily and quickly.
- Chunk it up. “A lot of tasks have something called motivational surface tension,” notes Steel, meaning getting started is the hard part. So break a task into small enough pieces that you can visualize each one’s outcome, then spend 10 minutes on one chunk. After 10 minutes, continuing for another 10 minutes — and so on — probably seems like no bother.
- Procrastinate by working. “When I find myself procrastinating,” says Steel, “I allow myself to procrastinate as long as I do another piece of work I was procrastinating on.” His inspiration: that unrivaled procrastinator, the college student. “I caught onto this when I found out a lot of students were cleaning the stove the night before an exam.”
- Build good habits. Psychologists say routines help us avoid procrastinating. To build good habits, start simply by breaking tasks into smaller chunks. “In the long term, as you get better at things, you can start chunking upwards, the tasks don’t have to be so small, and that’s where the routine comes in,” says Steel.
- Don’t play Spock. Remember, many human tendencies are incredibly hard-wired. “We’re not Spock from the Planet Vulcan, we’re quasi-rational,” he says, “and it’s best to work with who you are, rather than who you want to be.” In other words, strive for changes relative to your existing procrastination habits, instead of some abstract ideal.
- Separate work and play: Working makes you work more; playing makes you play more. Yet how can techies — for whom work often resembles play — strike a balance? Start by hiding the work laptop when you’re not at work. According to Steel, “it’s almost worth it for professionals to have two computers: one for surfing and video games, and one for working.”
- Think you can. While it might sound trite, overcoming procrastination requires positive thinking. “The more self-doubt you have, the lower your motivation,” he says. “As a general rule, it’s best to be your own number-one fan, and to err on the side of believing you can do it
Mathew Schwartz is a freelance business and technology journalist based in
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Media literacy in a media saturated world by ZDNet's Dan Farber -- The question of what becomes of journalism in the age of mass media, in which anyone with an Internet connection can be their own publisher and reach a potential audience of billions with a single click was the subject of a conversation at a cybersalon hosted by Sylvia Paull near the UC Berkeley campus [...]
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Waiting for another disaster to happen
The government of Maharashtra and in particular the local government of Mumbai city is waiting for another disaster to happen before it really wakes up to take some concrete decisions.
Check this Disaster Management Plan http://mdmu.maharashtra.gov.in/pages/Mumbai/mumbaiplanShow.php to find out why the plan is just a lot of fluff and no solution.
There is no mention as to what people should do in the event of another 26th July 2005 happens to Mumbai again (believe me it is more likely to happen again and again).
The reason why Mumbai is a disaster waiting to happen is that the unholy nexus of politicians, builders and underworld have come together to create a concrete jungle that has usurped all available spaces and flouted all laws of planned development.
If you read the DMP you will find that the authorities are planning and depending on a working electricity and telephone network, while each one of us knows how these two basic pillars of disaster management collapsed during the deluge of Mumbai.
There is no mention of satellite phones, emergency power generation, storage of emergency food stock, both raw and prepared ready for distribution. But then you really can not blame the people here what with a nation as big as America failing in the wake of Katrina!
Dear City Fathers,
Please read and study the Katrina disaster and learn your lessons from there. Call for the program broadcast by National Geographic to find out why America Failed in Handling Katrina. Do it now, there is no time left and modify the disaster management plan accordingly.
This is all that I can hope and pray for.
Meanwhile here are some important people who may help bail you out
Shri. K. S. Vatsa
Secretary Relief & Rehabilitation,
502, Main Building,
Mantralya
Mumbai - 400 032
INDIA
Tel. No. - +91 022 22025274
Email - sec_r&r@maharashtra.gov.in
Maharashtra Disaster Management Unit
Earthquake Rehabilitation Cell,
14th Floor,
New Administrative Building,
Mumbai - 400 032
INDIA
Tel. No. - +91 022 22831984.
Flood Infoline
Tel. No. - +91 022 22040800
- +91 022 22040804
Check this Disaster Management Plan http://mdmu.maharashtra.gov.in/pages/Mumbai/mumbaiplanShow.php to find out why the plan is just a lot of fluff and no solution.
There is no mention as to what people should do in the event of another 26th July 2005 happens to Mumbai again (believe me it is more likely to happen again and again).
The reason why Mumbai is a disaster waiting to happen is that the unholy nexus of politicians, builders and underworld have come together to create a concrete jungle that has usurped all available spaces and flouted all laws of planned development.
If you read the DMP you will find that the authorities are planning and depending on a working electricity and telephone network, while each one of us knows how these two basic pillars of disaster management collapsed during the deluge of Mumbai.
There is no mention of satellite phones, emergency power generation, storage of emergency food stock, both raw and prepared ready for distribution. But then you really can not blame the people here what with a nation as big as America failing in the wake of Katrina!
Dear City Fathers,
Please read and study the Katrina disaster and learn your lessons from there. Call for the program broadcast by National Geographic to find out why America Failed in Handling Katrina. Do it now, there is no time left and modify the disaster management plan accordingly.
This is all that I can hope and pray for.
Meanwhile here are some important people who may help bail you out
Shri. K. S. Vatsa
Secretary Relief & Rehabilitation,
502, Main Building,
Mantralya
Mumbai - 400 032
INDIA
Tel. No. - +91 022 22025274
Email - sec_r&r@maharashtra.gov.in
Maharashtra Disaster Management Unit
Earthquake Rehabilitation Cell,
14th Floor,
New Administrative Building,
Mumbai - 400 032
INDIA
Tel. No. - +91 022 22831984.
Flood Infoline
Tel. No. - +91 022 22040800
- +91 022 22040804
Friday, May 18, 2007
Rank Based V/s Peer Based Leadership Assumptions
RANK-BASED VS. PEER-BASED LEADERSHIP ASSUMPTIONS
To understand the power and durability of the myth of leadership—why it has such a strong hold on our imagination—we need to examine its assumptions about leaders and followers. We must begin by recognizing that these assumptions are not absolute, universal truths—they have a history. This history has helped establish the now implicit justification and legitimization of our current rank-based notion of leadership.
Three events, beginning in the seventeenth century and maturing in the nineteenth century, have contributed to the acceptance of the myth in modern organizations:
-
The triumph of Newtonian science and its accompanying worldview
-
The understanding of human nature inherent in Enlightenment philosophies
-
The reaction to Enlightenment rationalism in Romanticism, creating the modern concept of individual genius and celebrity
Each of these events has worked its way into modern business assumptions about leaders and followers, affecting the way we organize work and relationships. They have led to rank-based organizations that overestimate the senior executive and underestimate the rank-and-file employee. They have introduced rank-based thinking into business in a way that makes work less than meaningful for the majority of individuals involved. Table 1 outlines some of these rank-based assumptions and contrasts them with peer-based assumptions that can lead to more successful relationships and more successful organizations. We will discuss each of these contrasts in detail.
| Rank-Based Assumptions | Peer-Based Assumptions |
|---|---|
| Employees are lazy | Employees are productive |
| Employees are selfish | Employees are caring |
| Leaders are heroic individuals | Each individual is unique |
| Leadership command and control | General input and participation |
| Knowledge at the top | Knowledge at all levels |
| Manipulation | Cooperation |
Employees are Lazy vs. Employees are Productive
The influence of science on business is a key factor in our first rankbased assumption.
Rank-Based Assumption
Employees are by nature lazy and need external motivation.
Peer-Based Assumption
Employees tend to be productive and self-motivated.
In most business organizations, employees are treated as costs that have to be justified. They are just parts, expensive parts, of the machine of business that must be operated as cheaply as possible. Where did this view of individual employees originate? Most organizational theorists agree it was in science, specifically Newtonian science. Newton introduced the most comprehensive and powerful explanation of how natural systems behave the way they do. His fellow scientists wept when they read his Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (1687), thinking that it was now all over, that there was nothing great left to discover. He "proved" that systems were composed of bodies, and those bodies were governed by basic forces. Bodies were inert and would change course only if acted upon by these basic forces. His system of natural science soon shaped the way we viewed human systems, organizations, work, and hence the leadership of work performed in organizations.
Newton's model seemed to justify its imitation in all fields of human endeavor, including management science. Just as nature had been mechanized and reduced to nothing but bodies in motion, labor was thought to be nothing but bodies in motion that had to be coerced through external force. Without an outside push or pull, the "Newtonian" employee would remain inert; that is, lazy and unmotivated. Frederick W. Taylor was the chief promoter and practitioner of this view, albeit motivated by socially admirable goals. His time and motion studies reveal the belief that a rigorous mechanical approach to organizations would bring superb results in the scientific management of workers.
Taylor believed that leadership must be imposed from the top down in a command-and-control manner. The brains and intelligence of a company resided at the top, while the muscle for doing the actual work resided at the bottom. He made two critical assumptions: (1) brain work should be taken from the shop floor and placed in the executive office, and (2) management should take all relevant knowledge and reduce it to rules, formulas, and laws for the rank and file to mindlessly follow.
In this system, employees were reduced to machines competing for scarce goods with other similar, yet separate, machines in an alien and often hostile workplace. This mentality was soon applied to organizations, people, and the environment without differentiation by the new scientific business leaders, not all of whom, by the way, shared Taylor's high ideals. They believed that to motivate they must push or prod a worker into action, overcoming the worker's inertia by the sheer force of their own bullying. For this, they found complete justification in science.
Now there is general agreement that the understanding of the nature of reality in classical science is not only wrong with regard to the natural world, but is detrimental to organizations as well. The majority of processes and systems found in nature cannot be reduced to nothing more than the behavior of inert bodies in motion. Similarly, employees are not machines, but living, open systems capable of self-renewal and self-direction. While natural science, with its self correcting method, has moved beyond this limiting belief about natural systems, management science has all too frequently remained bound to this inaccurate assumption about human systems. Today the belief that employees tend to be lazy and require external motivation is part of the unconscious fabric of leadership thought and practice. It creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, where seeing employees as lazy and unmotivated creates an organizational culture where the employees become lazy and unmotivated.
When managers treat their employees as unmotivated "cost centers" who require constant supervision, employees become defensive and respond by doing the bare minimum to avoid making mistakes or standing out. It doesn't take long for an employee who started out with great enthusiasm to become dependent on the rank-based leader's management of all important decisions, until soon the employee loses all initiative. New hires in a rank-based organization come to work full of innovative ideas and energy only to retreat into a compliant "just doing what I'm told" mentality after repeatedly being put in their place by some threatened rank-based manager.
Employees Are Selfish vs. Employees Are Caring
The second rank-based assumption finds its roots in the nature of the individual as described in the writings of Enlightenment philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes.
Rank-Based Assumption
Employees are by nature selfish and self-seeking and therefore need external control to keep them in line.
Peer-Based Assumption
Employees tend to be caring and willing to cooperate.
Hobbes argued that individuals are naturally in constant anxiety motivated by two basic emotions: (1) a negative emotion, the fear of death, and (2) a positive emotion, desire for all material goods and the domination of others. These two motivations put us into constant agitation with an insatiable craving for material wealth and, at the same time, a fear of death in a world that will not satisfy our infinite wants and constantly threatens to destroy us as well. In this world only the paranoid survive. As autonomous individuals constantly responding to these two emotions, individuals are in a state of a constant war of everyone against everyone. As Hobbes (1982) pointed out, in this environment, "life is poor, nasty, brutish, and short" (92).
Hobbes, like most Enlightenment philosophers, wanted to discover how and why individuals join together in organizations. Organizations will only come into existence, he argued, if autonomous individuals consent to organize for their own protection against each other and thus sacrifice certain freedoms to the organization and whoever controls it. In this view, individuals give up much of their freedom and enter organizations via common agreement (the social contract) in order to escape their natural wretched condition. Even as they enter organizations, they still retain their basic motivating emotions of fear of death as well as the insatiable desire for material goods. The purpose of any organization, in this view, is one of protecting people from each other as each struggles to acquire as much wealth and power as possible. (Certainly, this is a view of organizations expected and favored by market analysts.) These assumptions place the individual in constant opposition to others in the organization. They permeate through all our organizational thinking, planning, and communication, leading to the all-pervasive us-versus-them thinking that poisons relations between the company and its employees, or management and labor.
Us vs. Them
No one has captured the ironic nature of this conflict better than the writer Franz Kafka. He depicts the perplexed individual trapped in a maze not of his own making—the more he struggles, the more entrapped he becomes. The protagonist in my favorite Kafka story, The Metamorphosis (1915), is a young office worker by the name of Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one morning after unsettling dreams to discover he has turned into a dung beetle! Stuck on his back, unable to move, he fails to make it to work for the first time in his career. Gregor has been the ever-faithful employee even though trapped in a menial and boring job. He has accepted his fate while never once coming to work late. But guess who shows up rather quickly to evaluate the situation? It's none other than his manager, who immediately casts suspicion on his honesty and work ethic.
"Mr. Samsa", the manager now called, raising his voice, "what's the matter? You barricade yourself in your room, answer only ‘yes‘ and ‘no,’ cause your parents serious, unnecessary worry, and you neglect—I mention this only in passing—your duties to the firm in a really shocking manner. … The head of the firm did suggest to me this morning a possible explanation for your tardiness—it concerned the cash payments recently entrusted to you—but really, I practically gave my word of honor that the explanation could not be right. But now, seeing your incomprehensible obstinacy, I am about to lose even the slightest desire to stick up for you in any way at all. … Your performance of late has been very unsatisfactory; I know it is not the best season for doing business, we all recognize that; but a season for not doing any business, there is no such thing. Mr. Samsa, such a thing cannot be tolerated." (Kafka 1981, 99)
In this passage we see the first two assumptions of the myth of leadership: (1) employees are naturally lazy, and (2) they are naturally prone to dishonesty and self-seeking behavior—even to theft against the employer. Kafka's antiheroes are always getting caught in the absurdity of command-and-control hierarchies that threaten their wellbeing for seemingly trivial reasons. Here, with the anonymous and unpredictable power the manager and head of the firm hold over Gregor's head, his fear of failure is heightened. Today, with almost constant layoffs and restructuring, which seldom actually improve organizations, this nameless and capricious power held by leaders over their followers is incredibly harmful to our social fabric.
The Desire to Make a Difference
A rank-based organization informed by the myth of leadership tends to limit the creativity of employees to the narrow confines of their job description. What these rank-based assumptions overlook is that most people work for a broader reward, including at least the following three things:
-
A chance to develop skills and new talents
-
The opportunity to contribute to a cause larger than themselves
Employees bring their whole person to work, but the rank-based organization seeks to limit their involvement to impersonal tasks. This tension between individuals as whole persons and the limited organizational role assigned them often leads to employees just putting in their time at work before getting to do what's really meaningful for them after work. This doesn't have to be, for most employees seek first to find meaning and value at work, but it is too often denied them.
Leaders Are Heroic Individuals vs. Each Individual Is Unique
The third rank-based assumption has given the leadership myth its potent emotional appeal.
Rank-Based Assumption
Leaders are heroic individuals who have risen above the masses—possessing either an innate or learned genius. They are better than those beneath them, thus have the right to control decision making in organizations and do all the commanding and controlling.
Peer-Based Assumption
Leaders are no different than employees—they each have their own unique strengths and weaknesses.
I once worked with a leader who had quickly climbed to the top of his organization. When we first talked soon after his promotion, he was anxious to tell me he wasn't surprised by his meteoric rise, "for the cream will always rise to the top." This, I believe, captures an essential part of the leadership myth, namely, that those at the top of the organization are somehow better, or more deserving, than those beneath them on the organizational chart. What are the roots of this conception?
The Renaissance saw the rise in the fame of artists, but it was Romanticism, with its belief in creative genius and the romantic hero, that gave birth to personality cults and the appeal of the leadership myth of the twentieth century. From Romanticism we get our idea of the superhero, the master-of-the-universe type, who single-handedly controls others and the elements to achieve his desires and set the course of history.
Two books on the subject, both of which were tremendously popular when published, were pivotal. One is a series of lectures by Thomas Carlyle published in 1841 as On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History. The other, published in 1850 by Carlyle's friend and correspondence partner Ralph Waldo Emerson, is entitled Representative Man. Both books promote the greatness in men and provide the arguments for the importance and presence of "great men" in society and business. Carlyle wrote:
We… discourse here… on Great Men, their manner of appearance in our world's business, how they have shaped themselves in the world's history, what I call Hero-worship and the Heroic in human affairs…. A large topic; indeed, an illimitable one; wide as Universal History itself. For, as I take it, Universal History, the history of what man has accomplished in this world, is at bottom the History of the Great Men who have worked here. They were the leaders of men, these great ones; the modelers, patterns, and in a wide sense creators, of whatsoever the general mass of men contrived to do or to attain; all things that we see standing accomplished in the world are properly the outer material result, the practical realization and embodiment, of Thoughts that dwelt in the Great Men sent into the world. (1)
If you believe, following Newtonian science, that the majority of people are by nature lazy and need external force to motivate them—and if you believe, from the selfish individualism of Hobbes, that people will give up their freedom and join organizations because they are coerced and controlled by their own or others' self-seeking fear and greed—it is an easy step to assume that it could only be through the heroic efforts of some creative genius, a leader, that such an organization could be established and made successful. This "Great Man" (or today, perhaps "Great Woman") has, through his own wit, work, and luck, climbed to the top, assumed his destiny as the leader, and can now benefit the organization. His position at the top enables him to reap huge rewards, command large organizations, and demand that others give up their freedom to his judgment.
Of course, the reality of this heroic leader frequently resembles the "emperor's new clothes." The executive I mentioned earlier, who quickly climbed to the top of his organization, was not respected by those beneath him in rank. As I learned more about him and his successes, I discovered that he often claimed credit when others had done the work. I also found out that many of the contracts and partnership deals he arranged in his quick rise were poorly structured and fell apart soon after he was promoted to his next leadership position. The senior executives had so thoroughly bought into the assumptions of the myth of leadership, however, that these failings were blamed on his replacements, and his image remained untarnished.
Leadership Command and Control vs. General Input and Participation
The fourth rank-based assumption is that the corporate leader, as hero, must also have nearly superhuman capabilities.
Rank-Based Assumption
The heroic leader can control a complex organization from the top down, can accurately predict what is going to happen in the future, and should therefore be making all the critical decisions.
Peer-Based Assumption
Only with input and participation from all levels of the organization can leaders make effective decisions about current and future business conditions.
This leader becomes the indispensable avenue for every significant action in the organization; indeed, it wouldn't happen without her. Such a leader will be suspicious of, and unwilling to delegate any important decision to, anyone who does not see things her way. As a leader, she of course has vision, and those who follow her will be on the front wave of future success. Those who disagree with her vision, or, if they're without vision, will not progress within the leader's organization. In this view, decisions can be made only by the leader and not by the mass of people in the organization, who cannot be trusted to share the genius of the leader.
This rank-based assumption not only keeps decision making at the top of the organization—thus robbing the organization of the intelligence and talents of the vast majority of employees—it also corrupts communication. A rank-based leader will see his position as more important than the positions of those lower in rank. Because of this perception of superiority, the leader will not seek input or, if it is given, not take seriously the input of someone lower in rank.
This view of genius in eighteenth-and nineteenth-century Romanticism merged with Hobbes's belief in the nature of the individual, and the belief in how they interact from Newtonian science, and created the myth of leadership in twentieth-century organizations to justify rank-based forms of social arrangements. It is a belief that must be constantly justified in organizations. The justification is enforced through the tight control of information via closed books and closed meetings; through the media's obsession with celebrity and emphasis on leaders as larger-than-life individuals; and through the plethora of popular books on leadership.
Knowledge at the Top vs. Knowledge at All Levels
In the fifth rank-based assumption, knowledge and understanding are also considered to be the domain of the few.
Rank-Based Assumption
Employees tend not to know the best thing to do, while leaders do know.
Peer-Based Assumption
Individuals closest to where the work is done have a good grasp on what needs to happen.
Numerous books on leadership promise to reveal the leadership secrets of Attila the Hun, Moses, or Abraham Lincoln, or even Jesus as a CEO. They attempt to justify an implicit theory of motivation and human nature where only a few great individuals can lead—and if you want to lead, you have to be just like them. Not surprisingly, it is also a theory that tends to reward only a few with tremendous benefits in salaries and other bonuses; for if it takes superhuman abilities to lead, then it also requires superhuman salaries to reward these few "Great Men." So, the myth in many ways justifies the great disparity between salaries paid to senior executives and the wages of the majority of people-in organizations. It certainly helps drive executives' compensation way out of proportion to their actual worth to organizations.
In fact, some recent studies show an inverse relationship between executive compensation and profit performance of the company. A report issued by Scott Klinger (2001) of United for a Fair Economy showed that over half the companies in the top 10 percent in executive pay had a stock price that underperformed the S&P 500. In addition to the poor profit and stock performance, companies with the highest paid CEOs were more likely to announce significant layoffs within three years of their CEO appearing on the top paid list. An interesting aspect to exorbitant executive pay is that if minimum wage had increased at the same rate as executive pay since 1990, which was at a rate of 571 percent, then it would be not $5.15 an hour, but $25.50 an hour.
More often than not, celebrity CEOs are a product of their organization and not its cause. Very few find similar success when they go somewhere else, though they do pull in quite substantial compensation packages. Not surprisingly, the myth is supported by those who have been anointed leaders as well as by those who would like to be anointed leaders and reap the huge monetary and social rewards.
Paradoxically, our present myth of leadership, which arose from currents of thought that stressed individualism and individual greatness, has resulted in organizational managers turning into carbon copies of one another. In the words of Edward Young (1683-1765), "Born originals how comes it to be that we die as copies?" Further, what Vaclav Havel (1994) observed about political leaders could be said as well for CEOs of organizations:
He becomes a captive of his position, his perks, his office. What apparently confirms his identity and thus his existence in fact subtly takes that identity and existence away from him. He is no longer in control of himself, because he is controlled by some thing else: his position and its exigencies, its consequences, its aspects, and its privileges. (73-74)
The myth of leadership also creates several mistaken assumptions about ways to motivate employees. For instance, many leaders assume that the chief way to motivate employees is to give them more money. However, research conducted by Fred Emery has shown that money, while a work satisfier, is not a work motivator (Weisbord 1991, 167-168). Understanding the difference between work motivators and work satisfiers is important in creating a successful organization. What will motivate employees is to give them greater control and influence over their work; however, this is something a leader who accepts the myth of leadership will never do.
It makes it almost impossible for people in organizations to focus on results such as increasing profitability and decreasing costs because results are only valued insofar as they sustain a person's position against other individuals in the company. This leads to withholding information and resources from others, as well as trying to control others, even while blaming them for any failures. Workers who don't treat others the way they should can justify their behavior by buying into the myth. It also makes it nearly impossible to organize true teams when the implicit assumptions are that only the very few are "management material." It makes it seem as if an employee's character were fixed in a way that somehow predetermines his or her level in the organization, with only the "cream" rising to management position.
Manipulation vs. Cooperation
The sixth rank-based assumption concerns how to manage employees.
Rank-Based Assumption
You must manage (manipulate) employees to get them to do what you want.
Peer-Based Assumption
You don't manage peers; you cooperate with them.
I was once asked by a regional vice president to deliver some out-of-the-box leadership training to a group of salespeople. They all worked for the company that created the training I was to deliver. In fact, they sold the training to companies on the East Coast. I was told that most of these sales leaders had not had the opportunity to see the content of the training, so the objective was for them to have a "live" workshop experience. So that's what I prepared. Unfortunately, it was only after I began the training, and they all started vigorously protesting, that I realized we had been set up.
It seems that the regional VP perceived this group of sales representatives as troublemakers who asked too many questions. The VP figured that by attending a leadership seminar together, they'd learn to be more compliant to his wishes, but he knew they'd never agree to come to such an event. So, he told them it would be sales training, while hiding this important point from me. When they saw they were not in sales training, that they had been misled, I became the scapegoat for the absent VP who was two thousand miles away. The VP, in classic rank-based fashion, knew he could not win support for himself or his ideas through discussions, so he would have to resort to manipulation and some trickery instead. I felt sorry for this man. Though he felt superior to these sales reps by virtue of his position, he was also afraid of them and afraid to speak to them as peers, out of concern that his own lack of competence would be revealed—bursting the illusion of his leadership.
From the BookThe Myth of Leadership—Creating Leaderless Organizations
Davies-Black Publishing
Published by Davies-Black Publishing, a division of CPP, Inc., 3803 East Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303; 800-624-1765.
Special discounts on bulk quantities of Davies-Black books are available to corporations, professional associations, and other organizations. For details, contact the Director of Marketing and Sales at Davies-Black Publishing; 650-691-9123; fax 650-623-9271.
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