Patron of the Legends

Morning of spring 2009, the Chandini Chowk bustling streets, I was standing at the shop of Jaleebi Wala along with my 1999 model Vespa Scooter. This shop Jaleebi Wala was opened in 1888 during British Period. Since then, almost every Jaleebi lover who come to Delhi, must try over here. Madhur Jaffery, the great Indian author of the book “The Taste of India” too not forget to mention this name along with a photograph of the shop in her book.

Till now Jalebi swirls in my mouth between tongue n teeth, giving me the true pleasure of authentic Indian sweets. I accompany my Jaleebi with crumbly mouth watering Matar Ke Samose served along with green mint chutney. All of sudden I realize where are the Patron of these shops gone, then I thought now one can't park his Car adjacent to the shop, stand n enjoy the Jaleebi with family. Moreover what true taste we get in having Jaleebi in the fresh green leaves or Doona, we never enjoy the same in today’s eco-friendly disposable plates. Though if you think in actuality, the old methods of serving were more eco-friendly and biodegradable than today’s disposables. Moving from the Jaleebi wala, I take U turn n reach in front of Gurudwara Seesh Mehal Sahib. On the spur of the moment a Taanga wala carring 7 – 8 peoples cross. I said “Wow” Taanga in Delhi!!! But when I saw the passengers, I understood who wanna to be the patron of this Taanga now, on which the labour class people used to ride on cheaper price. It will be against our self dignity in society, what people will think if we ride on Taanga than a CNG Auto. But at this stage, I recall Menka Gandhi's initiative and realize no Animal rights needs to preserve. But being 15 – 20 minutes in Chandini Chowk, I really start thinking about our true Indian custom where you find the Mughals, Aryans, Britishers, and Dravinian mingle like American Melting Pot.

We are now so much involved in commercializing our self, that some time we forget that the authenticity becoming legends now. Seems to mention like fairy tales after few years. Why today we are not able to preserve our today itself??? Yes!!! Everything is on sale in the market, but the authentic taste keep on vanishing. We ate Chicken Tikka Butter Masala, but why I cant able to enjoy the same flavour what we use to enjoy 5 years back, We wear branded shirt spending 15 hundred bucks but why its wardrobe life diminishing??? We met a person in the morning then why we forget them by evening??? I think WE ARE CHANGED NOW!!! We are not the patron of our old friends company, we are not the patron of our own culture and tradition, we are not even, sorry to speak like that, remain patron of our own family. What is in our mind today, is only one thing Our Job, Our Business and Our Nuclear Family. Me…Me…n Me…
I choose the topic not to stimulate your appetite from Jaleebi, but use this stimulation to reach this noble thought in your mind, that today we are forgetting everything and emphasizing on just “Money” the source of all happiness. So what happiness you gain today, using disposables in each and every aspect of life from food to sex???

Gud…Good Morning Sir!!!

Greeting or wishing the senior or Boss in the office is a part of a protocol or it could be a sense of respect from the subordinates, whatever… but it should be more of a respect notion rather to be a protocol. You may find this article whimsy, but it is important to discuss some situation where how one should convert receiving of greeting by heart not as fulfillment of a formality.

Working in an office or in an organization, it’s almost very difficult to satisfy each and every employee, yes one as a boss / senior should not loose his respect from the subordinates. You may find that I am talking of all the emotional stuff, which stand no where in this professional environment, but my dear friends we are here to make the workplace as happier as your home.
In one of my previous job, my Boss wants the respect from employees from day one. Employees used to come at work, but never wish him in the morning and while leaving for the day. After few days when he find that no one respecting him, he call for a meeting, and the Agenda was “Every employee will come and meet him 15 minutes before leaving the premises”. He explains the reason that in order to maintain proper communication, this daily evening meeting is essential. I take this step in the different sense, as I observing his strange behavior from day one. It was his initiative how to listen at least Good evening, no matter they say Good Morning or not.
I think one should receive respect from the heart, not by becoming dictator and forcing to Wish or Greet…
Why the employee won’t greet/ wish to a boss??? The managers need to think and work on the same. Do they going to make it issue if his subordinate not respecting because it is a part of a protocol or Code of Conduct of a company, else you as a manager fails to win the heart of your employees?
Making greeting or wishing process more informal will definitely help the management to bring a much familiar and open culture in the office rather making it more of old aged culture of Bureaucracy. Now the Manager need to become more proactive in saying “Hi” to there employees and subordinates rather, sitting in the cabin and seeking when the subordinates come and wish him or walking from the office once all employees saying Good Morning Sir one by one and you keep answering Good Morning…
I really find this very inconvenient when I move to my boss office just to wish him for the day. It seems more of the buttering activity then implementing the code of conduct. Moreover for a boss it could be a disturbing element.
Few days back, I went to a college as External Practical Examiner; during via-va few students wish n few wont. I really ignore the greeting part, as I never been with the same institution earlier. But all of sudden the internal examiner said, you (student) the first who wish the Sir, no one else greet… won’t your batchmates have any sense of respect for seniors. I feel offended, not on the students, but on the internal faculty. I find why people have so much concern about the respect which they want from there juniors or subordinates. Why not improve your Code of Conduct for life and get respect. Why to seek respect once you acquire the position. Why you can’t say “Hello” to the subordinates before they wish… or they are not wishing you… Why the Ego factors become a hindrance at this stage?
Finally, the title “Gud…Good Morning Sir” is self explanatory that, the subordinate wishing you definitely, but seem scared and forced to do the same.
I need your valuable comments and suggestion, that do we really seeking respect once we acquire the position, else it’s important to realize the subordinates that you are a senior and he/she ought to wish, in order to maintain the control environment with-in the organization.

Is It Your Motive or Vision !!!

Every professional enter in the industry with a motive… motive to succeed… motive to gain recognition…motive to lead the industry… Also, it is obvious that profit is always aggressive and admired than growth as the visibility is more in profit than growth. Considering the same, today’s professionals when work concentrate more on giving output which shows immediate profit rather than growth in long term. Simultaneously the company too give more recognition to these professionals and not able to recognize the personnel who involved in working out for long term growth by making the change in the system too. Let us find out how lack of recognition for growth seeking professionals could lead to a big loss for the industry and economy. And how the role of vision is now more important than just motive.

In one of my seminar on Global Financial Crisis, the speaker emphasize how the greediness associated to raise the fund leads to such a disaster, that brings recession in the world economy. Professionals from BFSI go for sub-prime and lead to ninja error. Sub-prime, is condition when the financial institutions giving Loan or debt to the people without checking there financial stability in near future. Such practices fascinates the company for a while, say it is more visible, and company considered it as profit ignoring the long term affect of the same, which lead to fatal. Some of the name I would like to mention at this moment are Lehman's Brothers, Marilyn, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and AIG.

Similarly, talk about the hospitality industry, which is known for its highest employee turnover ratio i.e up to 52%... always emphasize and concentrate on sale though at the same moment they talk about Personalized Customer Service too. This oxymoron I explained in an article “Professionalism in Hospitality” hosted on this blog only.






Today we working with a well structured system, where there are Appraisals by your immediate Boss, and feedback from your customer/client which decides the potential of your performance. Talking about Employee Appraisals the immediate senior i.e. Boss is now not only limited to the productivity of yours, but also check social factors, like how you make your boss happy, are you in good list of your colleagues, what other employee give feedback of yours, else you able to take into confidence to those who are near to your boss. Many time in my career I find that though there was severe mistake taken place by the employee, but just because of good terms with boss, that person wont become victim, and on other hand if a employee wont maintain a good terms with his boss, he become victim for a pity mistake. Discussing such hidden factor is an effort to bring forward which are the actual reasons of increase rate of employee turnover and thus loss to company followed by loss in economy… Check the root of errors, rather blaming each others…

Now moving towards Customer Feedback, Organizations like Educational institution, take feedback from the students, but never discussed with the Faculty openly in most of the institutions. Communication Gap is the only tool of Control with People who acquire high positions because of good lobby, rather repot… The same I discussed earlier in one of my topic “Communication Gap – the Most Vulnerable Threat for the System” hosted on www.soundofzeal.blogspot.com .

Today, once a employee enter into the Organization, his first motive seems to become a part of a lobby and working out for its longevity in the company. And for longevity its essential to take care of your boss for Appraisal and hiding negative feedback of yours and rectifying it at very initial stage. I emphasize again, its very important to incorporate and independent audit committee for employee performance appraisals. This will bring forward the junks out from the system. Why to entertain them… May be this is another root cause of mal-practiced system… Why to encourage them???

While working in hospitality education institutions I find faculties and directors are more into intimating the conventional teaching rather introducing the new theories and best practices… Its not a blame… it’s a real life experience… I know I am not specifying the name, but it is something going on… Working on old system without change brings the comfort zone to the system… Why to encourage Comfort Zone with-in the working atmosphere???? Introducing new system, new concepts, applied teaching will not only overhaul the junked professionals but also helps to widen the horizon for the students… Think about those students whose morale went down in very first year of learning the hotel management, just because of things conveyed by the instructors… Why not to change the way we see the things and conveyed to others????

Choosing the topic “ Is it your Motive or Vision” is an effort to make the people understand on what we are emphasizing not necessary helping the system to improve rather to improve ourselves… make a vision to bring a change…

Finally, its an plea to all to recognize those with-in your company who wants some change… who work for the long lasting results, rather just giving a profit…

Use wisdom, not every time talk likes an Intellectual!!!