Does GOD Exist?

This is a question that has been debated over the eons and is still a matter of debate. Will it be settled one way or the other? Let us see if that is possible at all!

Peter Drucker, the famous management Guru said, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” Very true. Similarly, unless you clearly define a thing, its existence or otherwise cannot be established. So, the first thing to be done is to define what we seek to establish.

Can GOD be defined?

There have been many definitions of GOD. Starting from worshipping nature and thus defining GOD to natural elements, more sophisticated definitions of GOD have been postulated over the millennia. But, in my opinion, none can put the definition of GOD so succinctly and in an unequivocal and sublime manner as Vedanta, the philosophical portion of Sanatana Dharma. Vedanta calls GOD as “Brahman” – which means one that expands without limit. In English you can call it “The Vast” without any qualification – like a vast universe etc., It literally means “Infinite”

The next question is “what is the definition of Brahman?”

Taitriya Upanishad (2.1.1) defines Brahman thus: “Sathyam Jnanam Anantham Brahma.”

That is, Brahman is Satyam, Brahman is Jnanam and Brahman is Anantham.

Just as you need to unzip a file to know its contents, the above statement needs to be unzipped to get a clear understanding of the definition of Brahman.

Let us start with the word Anantham. It is a Sanskrit word that means unlimited or infinite. When something is said to be unlimited, what are the factors that could limit such a thing? As per Vedanta, three things can limit an entity from being unlimited. They are

Desha – space; Kaala – Time; Vastu – Object

Let us see one by one. An object is limited by space if it has definite boundaries in space and cannot be at two places at the same time. For example, I am currently in my living room and hence I am not in my bedroom. I am therefore limited by space. Brahman is not limited by space by definition and hence Brahman is omnipresent – sarva vyapi in Sanskrit.

Similarly, I am limited by time, meaning my body never existed before it was born and will not exist after it dies. Hence my body is limited by time. Vedanta says Brahman is not limited by time meaning there was no time when Brahman was not there and there will be no time when Brahman will not be there. Hence Brahman is beyond time and is eternal – Nithyam in Sanskrit.

The third limitation is a slightly abstruse concept called the law of identity. For example, the pen I hold can only be a pen and not a pencil. An object can only be itself and not any other entity.  That is why we have an Aadhar card and I am identified by it and no one else is me! Vedanta states that Brahman has no object limitation meaning that nothing is different from Brahman – that is, there cannot be even one entity apart from it. In other words, there is ONLY Brahman and nothing else. It is called non-dual – Advaita in Sanskrit.

The definition seems to be a brilliant one but is it an esoteric abstract philosophical construct or is it something real? If it is real, then obviously, Brahman must be present in the here and now and in every object that was, is and will be. The beauty of Vedanta is that it is not a belief system but one that should be validated and experienced. Hence, we need to test this hypothesis before we accept it.

But before that, first two words also need to be explored. The word Satyam means real. To test this against the definition we just discussed, let us take a real object – say a Pen. Will it transcend the limitations of Space, Time, and Object? All three tests will fail because a Pen cannot be here and there also, it was not there before it was manufactured and will cease to exist once it is destroyed and it is only a pen and not anything else. Thus, if we stick to Satyam’s original meaning ”real,” it contradicts the earlier definition of Brahman. In such cases of contradiction, Sastras prescribe that the implied meaning of a word must be taken.

In the same example, the Pen exists, laptop exists, you exist, I exist etc., Every known object exists. The underlying common factor in all these objects is Existence. So, if we were to take the implied meaning of Satyam as Existence, then the earlier contradiction will not be there. If you take any object in the entire universe, it exists and Existence is the underlying principle. The objects themselves may have various shapes, forms, and functions, but they all exist. So, if we take Existence principle as Satyam, it will clearly be congruent with our definition of Brahman as Anantham. Existence is not limited by space, time, and object. Even if all the objects in the universe are destroyed, for argument’s sake, Existence continues in the unmanifest state but will be manifest only through objects that we can perceive. It is like the ocean and the waves, with the ocean being the Existence and the waves of different heights and forms being the objects. The ocean exists even if all the waves die down.

Now, let us take the second word Jnanam. The direct meaning of this word is “knowledge.” It is obvious it will fail the test of Anantham just as the direct meaning of the word Sathyam did. I do not have the knowledge that you have, like for example, you may have knowledge in Sanskrit but I do not! Hence extending the same arguments that we put forth for Sathyam, if we take the implied meaning of Jnanam, ie. awareness or consciousness, then it will pass the test of Anantham easily. Pure consciousness or awareness, called Chit in Sanskrit, is not limited by space, time, or objects. All knowledge and all our experiences happen in awareness. And like existence, awareness is the underlying principle because of which we experience the entire universe.

Hence Brahman is Sathyam, Jnanam, Anantham or Sat, Chit, Anantham meaning Existence, Awareness, Infinite. It is self-consistent without any contradictions. We can test this definition against anything in this universe and it will be valid!

Now, that the definition of GOD has been clearly established, let us come back to the original question, “Does God Exist?” I shall rephrase the question and ask you “Do you Exist?” Your answer to this question is the answer to the former as well. Vedanta goes one step further and states that there is ONLY Brahman and nothing else and emphatically states “Tat Tvam Asi” meaning you are verily that Brahman – That Thou Art.

RETIREMENT - a boon or a bane?

Retirement – is it a boon or a bane? – has been debated for decades. It depends. For some, it is a boon, a time to relax and engage in leisure activities that one always wanted to but did not have the time. But for others, it is a dreaded time for they have not planned for retirement and have no clue as to what they would be doing. They presume a loss of respect and importance in the family and friend’s circle. And a few would fall in between too!

 

Retirement, as it is currently understood, is a recent phenomenon. For most of history, people worked until they dropped. Even today in many of the western countries, there is no retirement age per se. People work late into their 70’s. With increased longevity due to better medical care and lifestyle, this appears to be logical. However, in countries like India, retirement age is fixed and even though one may be willing to work or be productive, one has to retire. This being the reality, how does one prepare for retirement, how does one spend time during retirement and how does one lead a meaningful and purposeful life even after retirement are some of the questions that need an answer.

 

Retirement planning seems to be the buzz word these days. Can one really plan for retirement? The emphatic answer is YES. After all, it is not a sudden event thrust upon us but one that is certain even when we take up a job. Perhaps when one is young, one does not give much thought to it as one is busy with family, work, promotion, social life et al., However, it is important to focus on a few aspects relating to retirement even when one is young. These aspects are health, financial planning and having an engaging hobby. The first 2 are absolutely necessary and third one makes life interesting when one retires. Even if one were not to have a hobby, one needs to start cultivating one at least 5 years prior to retirement so that one can relax and engage in such activities during retirement. Some people choose to continue with their career, albeit in a different avatar. That is fine too, but it cannot be at the cost of health and family. Of course, one may be compelled owing to financial constraints but that has to be more of an exception than the rule, is what one would recommend. 

Retirement planning is being marketed as something that has been discovered recently. Nothing can be farther from the truth. Our ancient Indian scriptures talk about “Ashrama Dharma” – the recommended stages of life of a human being. They are:

§  Brahmacharya – Life of a student – Learn and be ready to make a living

§  Grihastha – Life of a householder – earn, have a family and enjoy the worldly pleasures

§  Vanaprastha – Life of retirement – moving to a forest figuratively – to contemplate on the nature of man, world and God and gradually withdraw from worldly activities

§  Sannyasa – Life completely dedicated to the attainment of Moksha or liberation – the modern equivalent of it being a self-actualized person  

So, as we can see, retirement is equated to the third stage of the Ashrama Dharma prescribed since ancient times.  Hence planning is a must.

Medical science has advanced so much that we have eliminated most of the bacterial and other infectious diseases. Longevity has increased. However, lifestyle disease has grown manifold and is the number 1 cause of death today. Hence it is important that one starts exercising early in one’s life. This habit, if pursued regularly, during the working days, will keep one in good stead during retirement. A pleasant walk or a jog in the morning or a gentle yoga exercise with friends of the same age is not only beneficial physically but also helps one a build resilience and a sense of equanimity. The more energetic and intrepid can try other adventure sports like hiking, marathon runs, cycling etc., Many of the seniors today are engaging in these activities and it adds to their physical and mental wellbeing without a doubt.

The next most important aspect for retirement planning is financial planning. In today’s world, needs are constantly increasing. The returns are abysmally low from bank deposits and inflation is constantly eating into the savings. Hence, it is important to start saving for one’s retirement right from day one when one enters a job. Many financial products are available today (unlike in the past) which helps one build a corpus that one can live out of in the evening of life. This becomes paramount considering the longevity of today’s seniors. Medical Insurance is a must and the earlier one plans, the better. Dependence on children needs to be avoided, as far as possible, to lead a satisfied and happy retired life with self-esteem intact.

 

The third aspect of retirement, assuming one is not taking up a part-time or full-time assignment is, how does one spend time? This is a crucial question that needs some planning and thinking well upfront before one retires. There are several hobbies that one can choose including but not limited to, reading, writing, singing, gardening, handwork, engaging in spiritual activities, volunteering with NGOs to teach, volunteer in hospitals to support the medical staff, work with organisation like Lions or Rotary etc., There is a wide variety of choice and sky is the limit. Of course, apart from interest, one needs to take care of oneself and one’s family FIRST. Charity, after all, begins at home! One can also engage in voluntary work in one’s area of expertise offering consulting to youngsters and NGOs.

 

This is where living in a senior community, a concept that is catching up in India, is very beneficial. We live with people of the same age group, all our basic needs including food, medical, security and other routine support needs are taken care of. Care homes also add to the repertoire of services to cater to those who need such assisted living. One is free to engage in leisure activities, fun activities, build new relationships, learn from other’s experience and be a source of strength and support to others in the community. One’s psychological well-being is also very important at this age and living in a community like this provides that cushion and ambience to rediscover ourselves. It is a blessing in today’s urban madness where one is left by the wayside in the mad rush in a state of loneliness and melancholy. The phenomenal growth of such communities’ bear testimony to the success of this concept.

 

Some of the key learnings from experience of retired folks can be summarized as under:

§  Live in your own place and enjoy your independence and privacy

§  Hold on to your assets / deposits to yourself / spouse till your life time. Prepare a WILL if necessary.

§  Don’t depend on your children’s promise to take care of you in old age; their priorities change. Expecting gratitude from them is a recipe for disaster.

§  Don’t meddle with the life of your children. Let them live theirs not yours. Remember the following beautiful verse from “The Prophet” of Khalil Gibran:

“Your children are not your children;

They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself;

They come through you, but not from you;

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you!”

§  Expand your circle of friends especially to those who will outlive you.

§  Don’t compare; expect nothing from others

§  Don’t use old age as an excuse to demand attention, care and respect.

§  Listen to all but take a decision independently

§  Don’t impose yourself on anyone on any subject

§  Do not expect everyone to follow your opinion even though you feel that your opinion was the best

§  Don’t complain about your health, neighbours, your retirement, your woes all the time

§  Don’t brag about your past achievements; no one is interested. And for heaven’s sake do not repeat the same story again!

§  Do not give unsolicited opinion all the time; no one wants it.

§  Do not try to help unless asked for; Just be ready and be available.

§  Never try to teach anyone anything, unless asked for.

§  Do not fall behind in time; understand new technologies, constantly study something new – a new skill, a new dish, a new indoor game perhaps.

§  Preserve your dignity and integrity in any situation till the end.

§  “Blame others for all your problems, your education has not begun; blame yourself for all your problems, your education is half done; blame no one for all your problems, your education is complete” goes a proverb. Don’t blame yourself for whatever happened to your life or to your children’s lives; you did everything you could.

§  And whether you believe in GOD or not, there is a higher power that decides our destiny. Trust that power and live joyfully till the maker sends you his final call!

 It is the stage in life when we look back on our accomplishments with satisfaction. There might be regrets, but they might be far and few. A sense of fulfillment and satisfaction pervades. Eric Erickson, the psychologist calls this a stage of “Integrity” – a stage of reflection when the pace of life slows down. People feel genuine satisfaction looking back on their achievements. They feel fulfilled. They are definitely happy notwithstanding all problems that may besiege them from time to time.  

Bertrand Russell one of the greatest thinkers of modern times talks also about such happiness very eloquently in his book “The conquest of Happiness” as follows:

 

“The happy man is the man who does not suffer from either of these two failures of unity, whose personality is neither divided against itself nor pitted against the world. Such a man feels himself a citizen of the universe, enjoying freely the spectacle it offers and the joys that it affords, untroubled by the thought of death because he feels himself not really separate from those who will come after him. It is in such profound instinctive union with the stream of life that the greatest joy is to be found”.

With such profound thoughts in the background, we need to go through life, whatever is left of it, enjoying the spectacle it offers always believing that the Universe is unfolding as it should. 

Retirement or “Re-Tyre”-ment – the choice is yours!

You are the CHOSEN ONE

About two decades ago, when I was managing projects in IT, I inducted a young boy as a trainee into one of the projects under me. Let us call him Akshay. IT had just started booming in India and it was a common practice to induct such qualified youngsters initially as trainees and then absorb them as employees. Akshay hailed from a very affluent family and came to office by car which in itself was a novelty those days! The project Manager was a tough character and was short tempered besides expecting nothing short of a miracle from his software engineers. After a while it became quite evident that Akshay did not measure up to his expectations, an observation I deduced during my casual conversations with the Project Manager.

As luck would have it, Akshay approached me one day and told me that another IT company was recruiting freshers and that he wanted to appear for the test and interview. I wished him good luck and gave him an experience letter for the 6 months he had worked in a LIVE project under me in a particular technology. Fortunately, he was selected in that company. As was common in those days, it was not against a particular requirement but recruitment in general (like the mass campus recruitment these days!). He was, as is euphemistically called, on the bench. A few months passed and the company then asked him to go to a different location and get trained for a few months in a different technology – completely different from the one in which he worked under me. He agreed and as the training date approached, his wedding was finalised, Akshay being from a community that got their children married very early. Perhaps no questions were asked about his job!

He sought leave of absence for a 2-week period from the training schedule. The company refused and made him go back to the bench again. He got married and was back to the good old bench. Obviously, Akshay was also frustrated with nothing much to do. Then one fine morning the HR asked him if he knew a particular technology – the one in which he was trained in my project. He answered in the affirmative. On being asked how he was proficient in that particular language, he produced my letter! And in the next few weeks, his papers were processed and before he knew what hit him, he was packed to USA! Yes, it sounds crazy now but those were the days!

If you review the entire sequence, can I stake a claim for his success since I had trained him, albeit for a short while and gave him a valuable experience certificate? Certainly not. Many things could have gone awry and the result could have been different. He was destined to go and I was only an instrument in the whole process. This profound truth hit me. I understood the meaning of “Thy WILL be done!”. The Good Lord had chosen me as his instrument to execute his plans – nothing more nothing less. I cannot take an ounce of credit for this act of Grace. This is a fact once you experience it. This is what all the scriptures are talking about! This is nothing but Nishkama Karma – selfless service. This is what the great artist Picasso meant when he said “The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to gift it away!”. Nature or the Good Lord expresses herself through each of us and it is only because of HER grace that we are the CHOSEN ONE to express herself! We need to be grateful instead of arrogating the gift or talent that we possess to our efforts!

In this context I recall the farewell speech of Sachin Tendulkar who put these thoughts eloquently. He said he always felt that while he enjoyed playing cricket, he was the CHOSEN ONE to represent India – to serve India. What a magnificent thought! Since he had this PURPOSE, all the laurels and accolades, he received all through his life sat very lightly on his shoulders! After all, all the glory belongs to the Good Lord. 

Let us all imbibe the true purpose of our existence and be grateful to the Good Lord for whatever he chooses to accomplish through us! 

 

 

 

 

Are you valued as an Employee?

The annual appraisal of the team is a daunting task for many a manager. Every employee working under you expects an “Excellent” rating while the company wants you to fit everyone into a bell curve with certain percentage of forced ratings including assessing a certain percentage of employees to be ‘Below Expectations.’ While everyone acknowledges that not all employees can be rated ‘Excellent’, the fact that appraisal ratings are linked to pay rise and promotions cloud such objective assessments. Anyway, that is a different topic altogether.

My simple question to my colleagues during such appraisals was always, “Have you added any value during the course of last year?”. And to be honest, I used to ask myself the very same question during my appraisal as well. Wherever the Key Performance Parameters are quantified, there may not be much of a debate. But when it is not quantified or nebulous, it becomes subjective! While the employee and I knew instinctively what “value” meant in the context of our discussions, I am afraid, I had not detailed it in a clear manner to make an objective assessment realistically. It was fuzzy at best.

Just imagine my pleasant surprise when I got hold of my dear colleague Stuart Drew’s book “The Liberated Manager”. He has devoted the entire first chapter of the Book to the subject of what I called value. He has defined a pragmatic framework that made me write this blog! He calls it “Personal Share Price” – PSP in short.

Stuart makes the following interesting observations as a prelude to defining PSP.

1.    Annual appraisals are a lagging indicator of past performance only and provides little or no guide to the future.

2.    Past performance alone is not the determinant of a corporate share price in financial markets. It is influenced by, among other things, future expectations of business, dividend policy, RoI, market sentiment and host of other factors and not just performance.

He believes that managers should apply similar concepts in assessing employees’ contribution and value in the workplace.

Stuart proposes three components that constitute PSP – Behaviour, Presence and Performance,

Consistent performance according to expectations or better than expectations contribute to a healthy PSP as most of us understand. But behaviour and presence are no less important and should not be subordinated to performance in doing a complete job, is his conviction. This applies particularly to managers, as their performance is generally an aggregation of their teams’ performance. Therefore, it can even be argued that a Managers’ behaviour and presence drives the performance of his team.

While we generally understand the terms behaviour and performance, we tend to misconstrue the term ‘presence’. It is not to be confused with personality. He quotes psychologist Walter Mischel of Stanford University who states that personality explains less than 10% of a person’s behaviour. Personality is a poor predictor of performance because people are highly flexible and far more adaptive than personality tests give them credit for.

If so, how do we recognise someone with presence. Easy says Stuart. They are confident, exude energy, are easily noticed, listened to, trusted, respected and followed. It is not about who is the loudest or who has the biggest ego. It is a state of being that allows one to develop more choices, reduce fears and influence the people around. People with presence also behave in a way that puts others at ease; they listen attentively and invite contributions without fear of reprimand or ridicule. They are measured in what they do. It is a combination of integrity, confidence, self-belief, strong body language, social interaction and a sense of humour. This presence or Gravitas, as he prefers to call it, is clearly evident among strong managers and leaders. And the good news Stuart conveys is personal presence CAN be developed!  

He also talks of the volatility of PSP and gives examples of famous people who have had a very high PSP – like Tiger Woods – but lost it along the way. Hence it must be our constant endeavour to evaluate ourselves and be aware of our PSP. He also goes on to give personal examples from his work life and talks of tools like 360-degree feedback that helped him to get a view about other’s perception about his behaviour and presence. He clearly demonstrates through examples how performance alone is not sufficient for a satisfactory PSP but behaviour and presence are also absolutely necessary and important.  

How do we know that our PSP is in good shape? Stuart gives an illustrative list to demonstrate this. Some of them are:

§  People will seek your advice

§  People will want to join your team

§  People will want to work on your projects

§  People will want you to work on their projects

§  Seniors and peers will seek and value your opinion

§  Your performance will be superior to your peers

§  You will have assumed responsibility disproportionate to your grade

§  People will go the extra mile for you without being asked 

Sounds quite familiar right? We have all come across such colleagues in our careers. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, you get the drift, right? These are some broad indicators of success in a wider sense. He concludes that the concept of PSP is as good as any formal metric based on revenue, profit, growth and the like. While these are acknowledged performance metrics, they need not necessarily be pre-eminent. He also gives a few practical tips to improve PSP like having a sense of humour, thanking people formally, taking an interest in their personal lives etc., and reiterates that it works in all corporate environments!

With PSP as the basic foundation, he goes on to elaborate on other constraints that normally shackle a manager from achieving his potential. Several chapters follow literally liberating you from one constraint after the other including a valuable one on liberating one from constraints imposed by one’s cultural heritage. Unlike a book by an academician, this book is the result of decades of vast experience across continents and therefore the distilled wisdom of a successful practitioner. The nuggets of wisdom are easy to read and follow. Anecdotes shared from his vast experience are fabulous and enriching. I am able to relate to many of the cases being discussed as I was also part of the journey with him in HCL, I am able to relive those wonderful moments. The writing style is simple and lucid. Despite being a native speaker of the language, he has not used a single word for which I had to refer to the dictionary – a trait that I greatly admire in a writer. 

I enjoyed reading the book and would highly recommend the book for all managers – budding ones as well as experienced ones. After all who doesn’t want to be a liberated manager?

I had the privilege of working with Stuart as he was heading our European operations in HCL. I have made presentations to clients along with him and on his request participated in his team’s offsite conferences in London. His disarming smile, calm demenaour, client / employee handling skills were amazing and I am glad that he has shared his experiences in this valuable book. It is sure to enrich the knowledge of current generation of managers and provide tools that can be applied right away. Thanks Stuart!

(Excerpts with the kind permission of Mr. Stuart Drew)

6 Questions that can change your life

Many of us get to a point in our lives where we have played by the rules and done everything we were supposed to do, but still don’t feel happy or satisfied – so what now? How do we claim for ourselves lives of invigorating passion and purpose when we feel trapped or dragged down by the vestiges of lives we have already committed to?

The following 6 six questions will help you to uncover your own personal vision of the life you were meant to live.

Sl #	The Right Question	The Wrong Question
	Who am I?	Who should I be?
	Why am I here?	What do I want?
	Where do I belong?	What is my position?
	Whom do I love?	What do I own?
	Who loves me?	What am I worth?
	How can I be true to myself?	How can I gain approval?

If some of these questions seem difficult to answer, give yourself a few days to reflect on it. Remember – these questions may seem simple, but they strike very close to our souls and may take some time and courage, to answer. There is no need to hurry or pressure yourself. Your vision will be there when you are ready to uncover it.

Who am I?

The answer to this question lies in discovering (perhaps rediscovering) the talents, temperaments and traits that make up our core personalities. Some of us may have lost touch with the people we are at our core as a consequence of powerful external influences, such as others expectations for us. It is only after we have some sense of who we are that we can begin to assess whether the lifestyle we are living is really a good fit for us. Without of this sense of who we are, we remain vulnerable to outside influences – to trying to be who others believe we should be. For example is the real, inner you an introvert or an extrovert, spontaneous or playful, aggressive or compromising?

Why am I here?

It is possible for our journey through life to be guided by two very different kinds of motivation. On the one hand, we can be guided by continually asking ourselves what do I want? This outlook on life drives us outward, making us vulnerable to the influence of sophisticated marketing and advertising technologies. It also usually leaves us feeling only temporary satisfaction, for this question continually invites us to want what is new. A life devoted to the pursuit of what we want can easily turn us into careening pinballs, constantly changing direction under the influence of external forces. In contrast, when we seek an answer to why am I here?  We are moved to look within ourselves for the answer. We are more likely to discover there an answer - and a path – that can sustain us over time. What, do you sense, is your purpose of being here?

Where do I belong?

One way to define our place in the world is through the position we hold in some social, professional or economic hierarchy. From this perspective, our sense of who we are becomes a matter of comparison, like first-class, second-class, third-class passengers sailing on the ship of life. Viewed through this psychological lens, life is essentially a competitive process, one that renders us vulnerable to jealously and envy. On the other hand, seeking to find an answer to where do I belong? moves us away from defining ourselves and our place in the world exclusively through comparisons with others. Whereas knowing our position may give us some sense of importance (particularly if that position is high in some hierarchy), it is no substitute for the comfort and security that comes from knowing what feels like home to us. Look around you. And answer the question: is this where you belong? Where might  “home” be for you?

Whom do I love?

It is part of our human nature to become attached to things. But if we allow this perspective to dominate our lives, we end up defining ourselves exclusively in terms of our possessions. When that happens, who we are becomes blurred with the question what do I own? This kind of imbalance happens all too early in our materialistic culture. To offset or balance this, and to create more balance in our lives, we need to look into our hearts for an answer to the question whom do I love? When we know that, we put ourselves in a better position to make choices that serve our best selves instead of being influenced by an urge to preserve what we own. The great stories of this world are full of examples of men and women who chose love over property and possessions, and in doing so found happiness.

Who loves me?

In our society, it can be tempting to base our self-esteem entirely on our resumes. Most of us learn to ask ourselves what am I worth? to measure our value to others. But if we allow this view to be dominant, it leads to an identity built purely on foundations of achievement and performance. Emotionally and spiritually, this approach can leave us feeling hollow and unfulfilled. To balance our self-esteem, we need to devote ourselves equally to being open to the love of others and to measuring our worth not only by our accomplishments, but in terms of who loves us and why?

How can I be true to myself?

The answers we have written to the questions above will dictate our success with the sixth question. Once we know the answers to the first five questions, we have the basis, the raw data we need to begin forming our visions. The sixth question draws upon our character, giving us the strength we need to stay true to ourselves, either in the face of disapproval from those we love or from our own self doubts.

After working with the first five questions, many people find that the images of their “real” selves are starting to come together, but may be a bit shaky at first. This is precisely when character is most needed – to protect the seed of that vision until it is strong enough to reveal itself. If we turn away from all that we have learned, we are only betraying ourselves. While it is natural to want reassurance and approval, the sixth question keeps us accountable to our own visions. Think about the traits and tendencies you have learned about – how can you recognize and avoid your own traps? How can you keep derailing from you own vision?

 

This above all: to thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

 

Hamlet – William Shakespeare

 

Extracted from the book “The six questions that can CHANGE your life” by Joseph Nowinski PhD

Are YOU Future Proof?

The year that went by was cataclysmic. The pandemic has devoured over 2 million lives and infected over 83 million people around the world. This is by far the biggest crisis we have seen, perhaps, since World War II or the Great Depression. 24 million students are out of school and 400 million jobs are lost so far. All continents are hit by recession and around 100,000 businesses are closed permanently in the US alone! Some of the well-known brands like J C Penny have gone bankrupt. Unemployment is at its highest since world war II. The economic cost of all this is estimated to be around 16 trillion dollars! (India’s GDP is 2.6 trillion). Did anyone see all this coming?  

In such a dynamic and kaleidoscopic world, is it possible to future proof? My answer would be a YES and NO. NO, because I am not an Alvin Toffler to predict a Future Shock! YES, because some of the core skills like positive attitude, inter-personal skills etc., keep you in good stead even in the worst of times. So, it would be good idea that today’s youth who are in College or the youngsters who have embarked on their careers prepare themselves to face the unfolding challenges and uncertainties by future proofing themselves to the extent possible.   

In a way, those who are in college are all privileged because they are one of the rare few in India who will have a college degree. As per data in 2016, only 27% of the top 10% earners in India have even a college degree, forget Engineering. And it is worse, when you consider the world population. If you take 100 as the world population, only 7 have university education! So, when the current crop of graduates starts their life after completing their degree, they would have a head start over thousands of others.

How do we future proof? The most important thing to do during the next 2-3 years, of course, besides graduating from chosen disciplines, is to prepare yourself to face the challenges of the world. College and home are relatively safe and stable environments whereas once you embark on your career a lot more responsibilities and expectations are placed on you. So, the aim during the next 2-3 years should be to utilize this time and prepare well for these unknown challenges. These are some thoughts based on current situation and past experience.

In order to prepare, we need to know 2 things. They are:

1.    The context in which we will operate – the work environment

2.    What capabilities we need to build in order to sustain, grow and be a productive member of the organisation and therefore the society where we live

Discussing a few key areas will be in order.

The world, as we know, is changing dramatically. Who would have thought a few months ago that everyone would be working from home or all learning will happen online due to this pandemic? So, we need to be aware of the known drivers of change and be prepared for these unfolding and at times unexpected changes:

1.    Rise of Smart Machines and Systems – Technology is augmenting and extending our own capabilities. Workplace automation is killing repetitive jobs. Driverless cars are not a fantasy anymore. Recently I saw a video where an Indian American is controlling a drone by his hand gestures – it is as if he was performing some magic!

2.    It is a computational world now. The increase in sensors and processing makes the world a programmable system. IOT, AI, Deep learning etc., combined with the data will give us the ability to see things on a scale that was never possible before. Technology is changing so fast that it is hard to keep up with the changes! Every individual has to be a computer literate to survive in this world!

3.    New Media Ecology has arrived. Every organisation is going digital. New communication tools need media literacies beyond text. Visual communication media has become the new tool for communication, even among the illiterate masses and is a very powerful medium. Who would have thought about a year ago that there would be online classes or that we would be attending a local wedding on the ubiquitous “zoom?”

4.    The era of super structured organisations is there to stay. You may still come to work in Chennai or Bengaluru, but you will be collaborating with a team member in New Zealand for a Client in Brazil! It is a globally connected world. It is a global supply chain too. Diversity and adaptability are mandatory to not only survive but grow beyond our backyard. So, your thinking has to move from being local to Global. Relationship building and inter-personal skills assumes great significance.

 It must be understood that once we step into an organisation and a changing world as indicated above, we will not be individuals but part of a team and therefore, an organisation. Some of these skills are absolutely essential to grow and succeed, irrespective of the times we live in.   

1.    We are living in a world which pays a premium for knowledge. Do not confine yourself to your syllabus alone. Read books, magazines, journals and enhance your knowledge in contemporary topics. For example, in Software, your syllabus may not cover data analytics or Deep Learning. Ensure that you spend time to know these areas. This is a continuous process lasting a lifetime. Wherever feasible, engage in real projects with hands-on experience in your spare time. This enhances your skills and marketability.

2.    Communication is the key to success in any field. So, improve your communication skills. English is the most widely spoken and used language. So, hone your skills. Read newspapers, talk to each other in English in your college, attend coaching classes, if required. This skill empowers you and differentiates you from the next person. A good communicator wins always! Do not have inhibition about accent or fluency. You can develop it over a period of time. Develop basic writing skills, especially Email etiquettes.  

3.    Practice open, honest and effective exchange of information. Good communication does not mean a flowery language but one that helps you communicate ideas effectively. Simple language is always understood and appreciated. 

4.    The world is ever changing and in a dynamic fashion that none of us anticipated. A person, in today’s context, is deemed intelligent, if he adapts to change. Be an intelligent person and adapt to change and evolve. Go along with the flow without resisting it. Be flexible and assimilate change. Else you will fall by the wayside.

5.    As stated earlier, you will be working in a multicultural / global environment. Hence it is important to appreciate this and understand different cultures and embrace nuances of different cultures. This is one of the most challenging tasks that you need to work on. There are a number of books on the way different cultures work, manage time, communicate etc., For example, our concept of time is very laid back. If a wedding reception is announced at 7 pm, invariably it starts around 8 pm! This is not acceptable in many cultures. You need to be aware and adapt. There is no superior or inferior culture. Know that each culture is different. Adapt effectively without any inhibition.

6.    As you will be working in teams, building relationships is a skill that you need to develop. You need to bring cohesiveness by being committed to the team and its goals. This can be practiced in your college being committed to your projects and courses. Collaboration is the key. It needs to be demonstrated as well. Inter-personal skill is one of the most prized possessions that will take you very far wherever you work. Not many can boast of this skill though many claim it on paper.

7.    Whatever you choose to do, be passionate about it. Passion is all about following your heart and doing what comes to you naturally. Introspect and identify and develop your passion. Learn to be innovative and creative. Those are the people for whom the industry pays a premium!

8.    Time is the scarcest resource anyone can have. Do the important and not only the urgent things. Develop planning and time management skills. These will keep you in good stead in the ever-demanding corporate world.

9.    Continuous learning is the norm today. Be mentally prepared to learn continuously over your career span and beyond. There is no substitute for this trait to help you be ahead of the rest. I know of people who retired 10 years ago, still attending webinars and seminars!  

10.  Zig Ziglar says, “Attitude determines your Altitude!” A Harvard study found that 85% of the reason why a person gets a job, keeps a job and moves ahead is because of his ATTITUDE. Only 15% is due to his specific skills. So, develop a healthy attitude to learning, job, workplace and life in general. A positive attitude coupled with hard work is a definite recipe for success.

 Do you know why women wear Diamond jewelry? It is because diamonds are rare. If they were common, no one will wear them. Just imagine – there has been NO ONE like each one of you over 5 billion years of Earth’s existence and there will be NO ONE in future also. That is why they take your finger prints for everything. You are not only rare but UNIQUE in creation. You are talented and YOU are the only person on earth who can use your ability! The onus is on you to identify, prepare and use this unique gift of GOD for your benefit and for the benefit of humanity. Enjoy your life and be a source of happiness to others too.

All the best!  A very HAPPY NEW YEAR!