I was born in a remote village in Vidarbha, near Amaravati district. The village was typical as shown in Marathi movies, beautiful, but backward. The transport and communication facilities were limited and we had only one black and white TV set in the village own by Patil of the village.
I studied there upto my 10th standard and then I shifted at Nashik for higher education.
In our village, notorious dada, name Ramrao was staying with his family. He was involved in organized and unorganized crime like smuggling of cotton to nearest State, Madhya Pradesh. He uses to fight with everybody. Villagers were scared to him.
One day, one astrologer, who was a regular visitor in our village came and put his shop under the banyan tree near our school. Ramrao was coming from nearby Taluka place on cycle. He saw the astrologer and decided to make a fun of him. He stopped there and asked the astrologer, “Hey, if you are astrologer and knows the fate of people, why you are here, don’t you know your fate?”
“I know my fate and I have to stay with that, but I can tell your fate” astrologer replied.
“Tell me, where I will be after one month” Asked Ramrao.
“Come here, I will tell you, just sit down”, astrologer asked him to sit.
Astrologer saw his palm; he asked him date of birth, asked all details and finally draw Kundali on the paper.
“Believe me or not, you will not see the sun in next month’s first Monday” astrologer told Ramrao. Ramrao got shocked and asked once again, “What? Are you kidding?”
“No my boy, I am not kidding, I don’t know, it will happened or not, but the calculations, I made say you will not see the sun of Monday in next month in this village”.
Ramrao thought a while and gave eleven rupees to astrologer and left the place.
He went home, gave Rs. 10 to his 5 year son and 8 year daughter and asked them to get chocolates for them. Both kids were surprised by the gesture of their father. He went into the kitchen and asked her how she is. Wife also got surprised, because Ramarao never care before his wife and children.
From that day the life of Ramrao’s wife and children changed. Ramrao understood his fate. He stopped fighting. He started to give the respect to elders. As a result people also started to reciprocate the gesture.
Remarkable change in Ramrao’s behavior changed the life of villagers.
After one month, he saw the same astrologer in nearby village. He went to him.
“How do you feel?” Astrologer asked.
“You told me that I will die on first Monday of next month, this is Monday and I am alive””
“First tell me how is life now?””
“It is good and really good, I am happy, people think me now as a good person” Ramrao replied. “The death was on my head. I was just planning to do something may family and decided to be good with people to earn some “Punya”. I was thinking only my death. It made me change”
“Ramraobhau, see how the life is good. Now continue this good life” said astrologer, “But that day I didn’t tell you that you will die, I told you that you will not see the sun of first Monday in next month in your village. What does it mean? Today is the Monday, and you are here in different village” Astrologer and Ramrao laughed loudly.
Think, you will die in next month and do good deeds.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Don’t underestimate small customer
One of my earlier employers shared his story with us.
This incident happened in 1975.
My employer, that time, was struggling to set up his career after his education. Being from middleclass family, he was trying different options including to work with some company to gain the experience. After working with one company he left the job and decided to start his own business. Being an engineer, he decided to start the trading in electronic circuit breakers.
He opened one bank account with big national bank in city with depositing Rs. 200/-. Incidentally, one fine morning his friend came to meet him and requested some money on loan for business purpose.
He gave the cheque of Rs. 2,000/- to the friend and requested him to deposit it only after 10 days as the amount is account was only Rs. 200/-. However the friend deposited the cheque before. He must be in dire need of money and must be forgotten to ask before depositing. The cheque got bounced because of insufficient funds.
Next day, he got a call from bank asking him to visit the bank and meet the bank manager. When he visited the bank, the clerk sitting on a counter started to scold him. “You people, do not have knowledge to operate bank account. If you do not have money in account, why you gave the cheque?” etc. etc. After big lecture by clerk, he was called by bank manager and he also gave the big lecture on credibility, trust, money management etc. Employer told that his friend did not asked before depositing the cheque and requested to consider the case.
I think during 1975, the bank managers must have enough time to discuss such issues with customers. Now a day, they just send back the bounced cheque. Anyway, after these two lectures, my employer got back at home. He felt so embarrassed that he could not speak with anybody. He though a lot and decided to close the account.
Next day, he went to bank and met the bank manager; he told bank manager, “Bank and customer relations are based on trust and if bank has lost this trust, I don’t see the point to continue with your bank and hence I would like to close the bank account.”
Bank manager gave careless look and asked him to give the application.
Next day, he went in another bank and opened the bank account with Rs. 150/-.
Today the same account has the transaction of almost Rs. 600 crores annually.
So Morale:
1. One may not be responsible for some mistakes.
2. Do not underestimate any customer.
I am sharing what 'I Saw and I Learnt' at BlogAdda.com in association with DoRight.in.
This incident happened in 1975.
My employer, that time, was struggling to set up his career after his education. Being from middleclass family, he was trying different options including to work with some company to gain the experience. After working with one company he left the job and decided to start his own business. Being an engineer, he decided to start the trading in electronic circuit breakers.
He opened one bank account with big national bank in city with depositing Rs. 200/-. Incidentally, one fine morning his friend came to meet him and requested some money on loan for business purpose.
He gave the cheque of Rs. 2,000/- to the friend and requested him to deposit it only after 10 days as the amount is account was only Rs. 200/-. However the friend deposited the cheque before. He must be in dire need of money and must be forgotten to ask before depositing. The cheque got bounced because of insufficient funds.
Next day, he got a call from bank asking him to visit the bank and meet the bank manager. When he visited the bank, the clerk sitting on a counter started to scold him. “You people, do not have knowledge to operate bank account. If you do not have money in account, why you gave the cheque?” etc. etc. After big lecture by clerk, he was called by bank manager and he also gave the big lecture on credibility, trust, money management etc. Employer told that his friend did not asked before depositing the cheque and requested to consider the case.
I think during 1975, the bank managers must have enough time to discuss such issues with customers. Now a day, they just send back the bounced cheque. Anyway, after these two lectures, my employer got back at home. He felt so embarrassed that he could not speak with anybody. He though a lot and decided to close the account.
Next day, he went to bank and met the bank manager; he told bank manager, “Bank and customer relations are based on trust and if bank has lost this trust, I don’t see the point to continue with your bank and hence I would like to close the bank account.”
Bank manager gave careless look and asked him to give the application.
Next day, he went in another bank and opened the bank account with Rs. 150/-.
Today the same account has the transaction of almost Rs. 600 crores annually.
So Morale:
1. One may not be responsible for some mistakes.
2. Do not underestimate any customer.
I am sharing what 'I Saw and I Learnt' at BlogAdda.com in association with DoRight.in.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Follow what you preach (at least during crisis)
Everybody was scared when this so-called recession (and behind that some companies) started to decide the fate of their employees.
Everybody was advising on cost control, cost cutting. Though few organizations were telling that the lay off would be the last option, they were also firing the employees.
In such scenario the role of senior management is very important and the right communication is required.
In one company, such communication meeting was organized. Everybody was eager to know the views of the management. One of the directors, typical bureaucratic, was the key person to deliver the message. He, as usual, preached on cost cutting measures, travel restrictions, discipline etc etc.
All the employees and managers were asked not to use taxis for travel, come on time in the office, not to drink tea at the cost of company, not to use light and air conditioners. (It was switched off upto 12.00 noon!) etc. etc. He also threatened that the salary cuts would be enforced in coming days.
However the same person was using company car with driver and traveling by air for short distance, staying in the hotel as per his eligibility and spending his time in travel for preaching on cost cutting.
Employees, however, were very sarcastic and started to discuss that top management has not sacrifice their any benefit including performance bonus and how they could preach on cost cutting. The impact was very negative and created the dissatisfaction among the employees.
As a result, few employees left the job, few employees started to pretend to work.
The business was at stake. Management had to take the decision to stop few operations.
Employees always follow the role model and it is the responsibility of top management to be a role model to the employees. We have also to take a call on cost cutting. Just stopping paper napkins in toilet and asking employees not to take tea at company will not save the money.
So morale
1. Top management should be the role model
2. The strategic cost control is the key.
Everybody was advising on cost control, cost cutting. Though few organizations were telling that the lay off would be the last option, they were also firing the employees.
In such scenario the role of senior management is very important and the right communication is required.
In one company, such communication meeting was organized. Everybody was eager to know the views of the management. One of the directors, typical bureaucratic, was the key person to deliver the message. He, as usual, preached on cost cutting measures, travel restrictions, discipline etc etc.
All the employees and managers were asked not to use taxis for travel, come on time in the office, not to drink tea at the cost of company, not to use light and air conditioners. (It was switched off upto 12.00 noon!) etc. etc. He also threatened that the salary cuts would be enforced in coming days.
However the same person was using company car with driver and traveling by air for short distance, staying in the hotel as per his eligibility and spending his time in travel for preaching on cost cutting.
Employees, however, were very sarcastic and started to discuss that top management has not sacrifice their any benefit including performance bonus and how they could preach on cost cutting. The impact was very negative and created the dissatisfaction among the employees.
As a result, few employees left the job, few employees started to pretend to work.
The business was at stake. Management had to take the decision to stop few operations.
Employees always follow the role model and it is the responsibility of top management to be a role model to the employees. We have also to take a call on cost cutting. Just stopping paper napkins in toilet and asking employees not to take tea at company will not save the money.
So morale
1. Top management should be the role model
2. The strategic cost control is the key.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Want To
"Want to!",
I remember the night in Igatpuri, near Nashik when our son, Atharva, was just two & Half years old. We were staying in Mahindra Colony and it was his bedtime. When I looked at the living room floor, I knew we had a problem. Toys, mainly cars were all over the place. "Sonu," as we call him, I said, "you need to pick up all those toys before you go to bed." "Pappa," he said, "I'm too tired to pick up my toys." My immediate inclination was to force him to clean up the room. Instead, I went into the bedroom, laid down, and said, "Sonu, come here. Let?s play Gugusha, Magusha." He climbed up on my knees and I said, "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall." And he fell. He laughed and said, "Let's do it again." Well, after the third "fall," I said, "Okay, but first go pick up those toys." Without thinking, he ran into the living room and in ninety seconds he finished a job that could have taken half an hour. Then he jumped back on my knees and repeated, "Pappa, lets do it again." "'sonu, I thought you were too tired to pick up those toys." He answered, "I was, pappa, but I just wanted to do this!"
We can finish any job when we have the "Want to!"
I am sharing what 'I Saw and I Learnt' at BlogAdda.com in association with DoRight.in.
I remember the night in Igatpuri, near Nashik when our son, Atharva, was just two & Half years old. We were staying in Mahindra Colony and it was his bedtime. When I looked at the living room floor, I knew we had a problem. Toys, mainly cars were all over the place. "Sonu," as we call him, I said, "you need to pick up all those toys before you go to bed." "Pappa," he said, "I'm too tired to pick up my toys." My immediate inclination was to force him to clean up the room. Instead, I went into the bedroom, laid down, and said, "Sonu, come here. Let?s play Gugusha, Magusha." He climbed up on my knees and I said, "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall." And he fell. He laughed and said, "Let's do it again." Well, after the third "fall," I said, "Okay, but first go pick up those toys." Without thinking, he ran into the living room and in ninety seconds he finished a job that could have taken half an hour. Then he jumped back on my knees and repeated, "Pappa, lets do it again." "'sonu, I thought you were too tired to pick up those toys." He answered, "I was, pappa, but I just wanted to do this!"
We can finish any job when we have the "Want to!"
I am sharing what 'I Saw and I Learnt' at BlogAdda.com in association with DoRight.in.
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