Truly a Leader

There were about 70 scientists working on a very hectic project. All of them were really frustrated due to the pressure of work and the demands of their boss but everyone was loyal to him and did not think of quitting the job.

One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him - Sir, I have promised to my children that I will take them to the exhibition going on in our township. So I want to leave the office at 5 30 pm. His boss replied "OK, You're permitted to leave the office early today"

The Scientist started working. He continued his work after lunch. As usual he got involved to such an extent that he looked at his watch when he felt he was close to completion.The time was 8.30 PM. Suddenly he remembered of the promise he had given to his children.

He looked for his boss,,He was not there. Having told him in the morning itself, he closed everything and left for home. Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having disappointed his children.He reached home. Children were not there.His wife alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines.

The situation was explosive, any talk would boomerang on him. His wife asked him "Would you like to have coffee or shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry. The man replied "If you would like to have coffee, i too will have but what about Children ??"

Wife replied "You don't know ?? Your manager came here at 5.15 PM and has taken the children to the exhibition "

What had really happened was ... The boss who granted him permission was observing him working seriously at 5.00 PM. He thought to himself, this person will not leave the work, but if he has promised his children they should enjoy the visit to exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them to exhibition

The boss does not have to do it everytime. But once it is done, loyalty is established. That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss eventhough the stress was tremendous.

By the way , can you guess as who the boss was ????????

He was none other than Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Ex- President of India...!!!

How much to protect our Children

Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Dan Kindlon says that over-protected children are more likely to struggle in relationships and with challenges. We're sending our kids the message that they're not capable of helping themselves.

A man, an avid Gardener saw a small Butterfly laying few eggs in one of the pots in his garden. Since that day he looked at the egg with ever growing curiosity and eagerness.

The egg started to move and shake a little. He was excited to see a new life coming up right in front of his eyes.

He spent hours watching the egg now. The egg started to expand and develop cracks. A tiny head and antennae started to come out ever so slowly. The man's excitement knew no bounds. He got his magnifying glasses and sat to watch the life and body of a pupa coming out.

He saw the struggle of the tender pupa and couldn't resist his urge to "HELP". He went and got a tender forceps to help the egg break, a nip here, a nip there to help the struggling life and the pupa was out. The man was ecstatic!

He waited now each day for the pupa to grow and fly like a beautiful butterfly, but alas that never happened. The larvae pupa had a oversized head and kept crawling along in the pot for the full 4 weeks and died!

Depressed the man went to his botanist friend and asked the reason. His friend told him the struggle to break out of the egg helps the larvae to send blood to its wings and the head push helps the head to remain small so that the tender wings can support it thru its 4 week life cycle. In his eagerness to help, the man destroyed a beautiful life!

Struggles help all of us, that's why a bit of effort goes a long way to develop our strength to face life's difficulties! As parents, we sometimes go too far trying to help and protect our kids from life's harsh realities and disappointments. We don't want our kids to struggle like we did. 

To quote clinical psychologist, Dr. Wendy 's Moral:

"It  is  Our Job  to  prepare  Our  Children  for  the  Road & Not  prepare the  Road for  Our Children"

Its what makes us Human

I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighbouring town of Venice (Italy), the city of lights and water. As we enjoyed our coffee, a man entered and sat at an empty table beside us. He called the waiter and placed his order saying, ‘Two cups of coffee, one of them there on the wall.’

We heard this order with rather interest and observed that he was served with one cup of coffee but he paid for two. As soon as he left, the waiter pasted a piece of paper on the wall saying ‘A Cup of Coffee’.

While we were still there, two other men entered and ordered three cups of coffee, two on the table and one on the wall. They had the two cups of coffee but paid for three and left. This time also, the waiter did the same; he pasted a piece of paper on the wall saying, ‘A Cup of Coffee’.

It was something unique and perplexing for us. We finished our coffee, paid the bill and left. After a few days, we had a chance to go to this coffee shop again. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man poorly dressed entered.  As he seated himself, he looked at the wall and said, 'One cup of coffee from the wall'.

The waiter served coffee to this man with the customary respect and dignity. The man had his coffee and left without paying. We were amazed to watch all this, as the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the dust bin.

Now it was no surprise for us – the matter was very clear.

The great respect for the needy shown by the inhabitants of this town made our eyes well up in tears. 

Ponder upon the need of what this man wanted...He enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-esteem…he has no need to ask for a free cup of coffee…without asking or knowing about the one who is giving this cup of coffee to him.

He only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left. ... probably the most beautiful wall you may ever see anywhere....!!!

Cool down & it will settle down

Once Buddha was traveling with a few of his followers.

 

While they were passing a lake, Buddha told one of his disciples, "I am thirsty.

Do get me some water from the lake." The disciple walked up to the lake.

At that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, The water became very muddy and turbid.The disciple thought, "How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink?" So he came back and told Buddha, "The water in there is very muddy. I don't think it is fit to drink."

After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake.

The disciple went back, and found that the water was still muddy. He returned and informed Buddha about the same.

After sometime, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back. This time, the disciple found the mud had settled down, and the water was clean and clear. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha.

Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, "See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be, and the mud settled down on its own,

and you have clear water."

Your mind is like that too ! When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don't have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless."

Having 'Peace of Mind' is not a strenuous job, it is an effortless process👌so keep ur mind cool and have a great life ahead...

Never leave Your close ones.If you find few faults in them just close Your eyes 'n Remember the best time You spent together...because Affection is More Important than Perfection..!

Neither you can hug yourself....nor you can cry on your own shoulder....Life is all about living for one another, so live with those who love you the most...Relations cannot be Understood by the Language of Money...Bcoz, Some Investments Never Give Profit

But They Make us rich...!

"Family n Friends are such Investments" 

Why should we avoid hesitation...?

Neil Armstrong, he is the 1st person to set his foot in moon.

But, do you know who was supposed to be the 1st person?  Many don't know...

His name is Edwin C Aldarin...

He was the pilot for the Apollo mission. He was working for the American Airforce. Moreover he had experience of space walking, hence selected as the pilot.

Neil Armstrong worked for the American Navy. He was selected for his courage as co-pilot.

When the Apollo mission landed on moon, they received a command from NASA, "pilot first".

But Aldarin was hesitant, "what will happen", "will I get sucked in or will I burn out", etc. The hesitation was not for hours, but few seconds.

In the meantime, NASA sent the next command, "co-pilot next".

Within next second, Neil Armstrong put his foot on the moon & became part of world history.

World history was changed in 1 second... Though Aldarin had the qualification and talent, because of hesitation, he is not recognised by many people.

The world remembers only person who comes first...

This is a good example of how people lose out because of hesitation & fear.

Whenever you see the moon, remember this, a moments hesitation can stop us from our greatest victory.

We all have great potential in us, the only thing that stops us from achieving what we are supposed to achieve is our hesitation, fear and shyness.

Many people are shy to ask, shy to appreciate others, & some are shy to share this message. If we fail to do the right things, we will most likely do the wrong things.

Avoid hesitation.

An Inspirational Story to improve difficult relationships

A long time ago, a girl named Loveleen got married and went to live with her husband and mother-in-law.

In a very short time, Loveleen found that she couldn’t get along with her mother-in-law at all. Their personalities were very different, and Loveleen was angered by many of her mother-in-law’s habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.

Days passed days, and weeks passed weeks. Loveleen and her mother-in-law never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even worse was that, according to their tradition, Loveleen had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing the poor husband great distress.

Finally, Loveleen could not stand her mother-in-law’s bad temper and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it.

Loveleen went to see her father’s good friend, Mr. Zosan, who sold herbs.

She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all. Mr. zosan thought for a while, and finally said, “Loveleen, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you.”

Loveleen said, “Yes, Mr. Zosan, I will do whatever you tell me to do.” Mr.

zosan went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with a package of herbs.

He told Loveleen, “You can’t use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious.

Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day prepare some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspects you when she dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly towards her. Don’t argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen.”

Loveleen was so happy. She thanked Mr. Zosan and hurried home to start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law.

Weeks w ent by, months went by, and every other day, Loveleen served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what Mr. Zosan had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother. After six months had passed, the whole household had changed.

Loveleen had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset. She hadn’t had an argument in six months with her mother-in-law, who now seemed much kinder and easier to get along with.

The mother-in-law’s attitude toward Loveleen changed, and she began to love Loveleen like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and relatives that Loveleen was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find. Loveleen and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter.

Loveleen’s husband was very happy to see what was happening.

One day, Loveleen came to see Mr. Zosan and asked for his help again. She said, “Mr. Zosan, please help me to stop the poison from killing my mother-in-law! She’s changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave her.”

Mr. Zosan smiled and nodded his head. “Loveleen, there’s nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her.”

Moral : Make a conscious choice to see the good qualities of the person in relationships , act it out, if necessary and gradually and surely let time heal relationships…

Probably the world's greatest speech ever .... Charlie Chaplin

Here's the world's greatest speech.. (ever). Its so very apt even today. Its time we all sit up, reflect, take a deep breathe & pause in this speeding world.

Posted by Siddharth Rajsekar on Sunday, December 14, 2014

Elected as Vice President of National HRD Network, Bangalore Chapter

I am pleased to share with you that I have been elected as the Vice President of National HRD Network (NHRD), Bangalore Chapter at their Annual General Meeting in Bangalore, yesterday. This will be a tenure for 2 years. Its really an honour, privilege and a proud moment to be elected to this position. The details of the Office bearers are as follows :

The new Committee will take charge from 1st July 2015.

NHRD is the largest and the most prestigious body of HR Professionals in India with about 40+ Chapters.It provides an opportunity for HR Professionals, HR Service Providers, HR Academia & HR Students to Network , come together, share Best/ Next Practices and also represent the HR Community at various forums viz. the Government, Universities and other bodies.

The Bangalore Chapter has 1700+ members and has been recognised as the Best Chapter at the National Level for the last 2 years. We organise 35+ programs every year at the Bangalore Chapter.

I am also the Convenor of the HR Showcase program coming up in September and will be one of the biggest HR Event in the Country with more than 100+ Organisations, HR Research Papers, HR Entreprenuers/ StartUps, HR Students, HR Service Providers will be showcasing their Best / Next Practices and Top 6 Best/Next Practices will be awarded. Incidentally SE was one of the winners last year and our Campus Connect Program  was picked as one of the Top 6 Best HR Practices by the Jury and also awarded Rs.1 Lakh cash prize besides Trophy.

More details of the NHRD Bangalore Chapter and also HR Showcase can be had at @

http://www.nhrdbangalore.com/
http://www.hrshowcase.in/

Leadership Lessons from Cricket Australia

With its recent win at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Australia has yet again proven that a team that has drive, discipline and focus can resurrect itself from the Ashes (pun intended) and go on to regain their title of world champions. Known to be one of the strongest teams in the world of cricket, Australia saw an exceptionally low phase between 2011 and 2013, where they suffered some humiliating defeats. Starting with the 2013-14 Ashes series against England, the world saw Australia slowly get back into form. They played as a team with a clear goal to win. 
  
There are a few lessons that professionals can learn from Australia’s World Cup win this year.
  
Leadership 
A leader’s job is to provide guidance and support to build their team’s confidence. For Australia, the strong leadership of coach, Darren Lehmann and captain, Michael Clarke has been nothing short of spectacular. They brought stability and innovation to game tactics and team organisation. The duo’s key priority was to get the best out of the team to help improve their performance and achieve results. They provided their team with guidance and support needed to grow as players. They have gone from boosting the morale of under performing players to driving the best performers to push limits and do even better.  
  
Passion 
Passion can move teams beyond their shortcomings and failures. When you are passionate about your goals, you will strive harder to reach them. The biggest reason for the Australian Cricket team’s success is their passion for the game of cricket and their conviction and clarity with respect to what they want to achieve and where they want to be. At the end of the day, it is passion that helps one make the transition from good to better and to best thereon.  
  
Discipline 
Be it on-field or off-field, we can be sure of success only if we persist on being focused and disciplined. The Australian team succeeded because they lay huge emphasis on discipline to maximise their potential. Success is derived not just from talented individuals but from the organisation of these talented individuals into a team. Lehmann has played a pivotal role by giving his team clarity on where each player’s focus should lie against every team they play.   
  
Strategy 
Winning is all about strategizing well. Success is impossible to achieve on sheer luck without any strategy in place. Australia’s rise in cricket began in the 1980s with the Australian Cricket Board’s decision to put a winning team in place. Once chosen, players were allowed to mature by giving them chance. This, in turn, helped build a cohesive team. In the present team, Michael Clarke has led an example by not focusing on losses but instead has looked at long term development. He did this by bringing out the best in people like Mitchell Johnson who were low on confidence and making them step up and take charge. 
  
Teamwork 
The Australian Cricket team is well-known for playing as a team and balancing off each other’s strengths. Individual players’ efforts to try to win the team their league match against New Zealand was commendable. Australia may have lost that particular match but not before showing the world the famed specimen of their teamwork. Where the batsmen failed to leave a mark, their bowlers pitched in to try and save the day. In the corporate world, it is a known and well-proven fact that while individual performance does matter and is appreciated, there is nothing like teamwork to go that extra mile to achieve organisational goals. 
  
Sports and corporate life have strong parallels and it is for professionals to take lessons out of everyday life to become masters of their professional lives.  
 

Lexophile - Word Play

"Lexophile" is a term used to describe those who are clever with words, such as "you can tune a piano but you can't tuna fish" , or "to write with a broken pencil is pointless."

A competition to see who can come up with the best lexphillies is held every year in Dubuque, Iowa. The year's winning submissions:

... A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months. ... When the smog lifts in Los Angeles, U.C.L.A. ... The batteries were given out free of charge. ... A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail. ... A will is a dead giveaway. ... With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress. ... A boiled egg is hard to beat. ... Police were called to the daycare centre, where a three-year-old wasresisting a rest. .. Did you hear about the fellow whose whole left side was cut off? He'sall right now. ... A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired. ... The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine is now fully recovered. ... He had a photographic memory which was never developed. ... When she saw her first strands of grey hair, she thought she'd dye. ... Acupuncture is a job well done. That's the point of it.

Mr. Jaitley how about Oxygen Tax & FuneralTax ?

Look at the amount of Taxes that we are charged. At every stage of our life and for everything we are taxed. For what ? and what is it that we are getting in return.

The concept of levying Tax was mastered by the British and many of the Tax laws & rules are still based on the legacy left behind the British, actually the East India Company.

We are taxed by the Central Government, State Government and even the Municipality.

According to Kautilya's Arthashastra - an ancient treatise on the study of economics, the art of governance and foreign policy - artha has a much wide r significance than wealth. An important part of the Arthashastra is the `science of economics', which, inter alia, includes taxation, revenue collections, budget and accounts.

A list of taxes and dues is found in this treatise, which describes the duties of the chancellor and the officials responsible for revenue collection. The treatise also shows that taxes were collected in kind (pratikara) - grains, cattle, gold, forest p roduce, and so on.

Not only were such taxes in vogue, but even the principles behind them were laid down. Manu, the great law giver of the country, in Manusmriti, has described the policy behind taxes thus: ``As the leech, the calf, and the bee take their food little by li ttle, even so must the King draw from his realm moderate annual taxes.'' In Raghuvamsh, Kalidas, eulogizing King Dalip, said...``it was only for the good of his subjects that he collected taxes from them just as the sun draws moisture from the earth to g ive it back a thousand time.''

The reason why Kautilya gave so much importance to public finance and the taxation system in the Arthasastra is not far to seek. According to him, the power of the government depended upon the strength of its treasury. He states: ``From the treasury come s the power of the government, and the earth, whose ornament is the treasury, is acquired by means of the treasury and army.''

However, he regarded revenue and taxes as the earning of the sovereign for the services rendered by him to the people, affording them protection and maintaining law and order. Kautilya emphasised that the King was only a trustee of the land and his duty was to protect and make it more productive so that land revenue could be collected as a principal source of income for the state. 

According to him, tax was not a compulsory contribution to be made by the subject to the state. But the relationship was based on dharma, and it was the King's sacred duty to protect its citizens in view of the tax collected. And if the King failed in hi s duty, the subjects had a right to stop paying taxes, and even to demand refund of the taxes paid.

Its time that we arise and question the Government as to what do we get in return to paying these taxes. For the governor to refurbish his house & spend 14 lakhs to buy a TV or the MLA’s to go on foreign jaunts, to protect (Z security) for corrupt Politicians and the list goes on………

1) What r u doing?

Ans. : Business

Tax : PAY PROFESSIONAL TAX!

2) What r u doing in Business?

Ans. : Selling the Goods.

Tax : PAY SALES TAX!

3) From where r u getting Goods?

Ans. : From other Area / State / Abroad.

Tax : PAY CENTRAL SALES TAX, CUSTOM DUTY & OCTROI AND NOW LBT & LPT!

 4) What r u getting in Selling Goods?

Ans. : Profit

Tax : PAY INCOME TAX!

 5) How do you distribute profit ?

Ans. : By way of dividend

Tax : Pay DIVIDEND DISTRIBUTION TAX!

 6) Where r u Manufacturing the Goods?

Ans. : Factory

Tax : PAY EXCISE DUTY!

 7) Do u have Office / Warehouse / Factory?

Ans. : Yes

Tax : PAY MUNICIPAL & FIRE TAX!

8) Do you have Staff?

Ans. : Yes

Tax : PAY STAFFS PROFESSIONAL TAX!

 9) Doing business in Millions?

Ans. : Yes

Tax : PAY TURNOVER TAX!

Ans. : No

Tax : Then pay MINIMUM ALTERNATE TAX (MAT)

 10) R u taking out over 25,000 Cash from Bank?

Ans. : Yes, for Salary

Tax : PAY CASH HANDLING TAX!

 11) Where r u lodging your client?

Ans. : Hotel

Tax : PAY LUXURY TAX!

12) R u going Out of Station for Business?

Ans. : Yes

Tax : PAY FRINGE BENEFIT TAX!

13) Hav u taken or given any Service/s?

Ans. : Yes

Tax : PAY SERVICE TAX!

 14) How come u got such a Big Amount?

Ans. : Gift on Birthday

Tax : PAY GIFT TAX!

 15) Do u have any Wealth?

Ans. : Yes

Tax : PAY WEALTH TAX!

 16) To reduce tension, for entertainment, where are you going?

Ans. : Cinema or Resort

Tax : PAY ENTERTAINMENT TAX!

 17) Hav u purchased House?

Ans. : Yes

Tax : PAY STAMP DUTY & REGISTRATION FEE!

18) How u Travel?

Ans: Bus

Tax : PAY SURCHARGE!

Ans. : By Car, Two wheeler

Tax : Then pay ROAD TAX.

Ans. : Yes. Of course, I want to travel in good roads & faster.

Tax : Then pay TOLL FEE.

21) Any Additional Tax?

Ans. : Yes

Tax : PAY EDUCATION CESS, SECONDARY & HIGHER EDUCATION CESS & SURCHARGE ON ALL THE CENTRAL GOVT. TAXES !!!

 22) Delayed any time Paying Any Tax?

Ans. : Yes

Tax : PAY INTEREST & PENALTY!

23) Do you want growth of India.?

Ans. : Of course, Yes

Tax : Then pay ELECTRICITY TAX, WATER TAX, ROAD TAX, ETC. ETC.

24) Where to do you stay ?

Ans. : In my home.

Tax : Then pay PROPERTY TAX.

25) The cities are congested & polluted. Do you want to breathe fresh air?

Ans. : Yes. Of course, I am feeling suffocated

Tax : Wait, we will introduce OXYGEN BARS, where you can breathe fresh air by paying OXYGEN TAX.

26) INDIAN : Can I die now?

Ans. : Oh no, you are to pay  FUNERAL TAX!...OOps...its in the legislation waiting to be passed. Pl. wait....

Ridiculous. Because we are silent, dont protest and are a meek citizen we are slapped these taxes.

Mind you no less than a former Prime Minister - Rajiv Gandhi said, that only about 15% of the money spent by the Government reaches the ultimate destination. Where does the 85% disappear - where else but fill the coffers of the political parties, politicians and the black money stashed away abroad.

In return what do we get. No education, No medical care, No housing (even legally bought houses sanctioned by government authorities are demolished), No proper roads, No 24x7 uninterrupted quality power, No water to drink (depend on water tankers), No gaurantee of security, No cops to regulate traffic (busy collecting fines & b....) and so on.

Anything left Mr. Jaitley.....Wonder is the Government here to serve or to rule.............. can you rise above politics and become the Kautilya of the 21st century.