Reflections of a mystic

Values...Source code of all our actions

Contrary to popular belief, i had discovered that we ( Corporate Execs, Managers, People, Junkies), have a big misunderstanding about values.

The belief in corporate world  is " Values are nothing else but good meaning (good looking as well) words and statements, typed and showcased in expensive golden frames on the office corridor walls".

As a Vision Exercise facilitator, i always enjoy watching people do some funny stuff while they are going through "Value Articulation" session. Most of them, barring few are engaged in finding some beautiful words and statements. And when am about to lose my cool, someone sometimes asks a very fundamental question. "Hey lets stop. Lets first find out, what is a value??"

And then i get up, most of the time, with a wicked smile and say this "I was desparately waiting for someone to actually ask this question? And now that you have asked let me give you a simple answer"

Values are action triggers. Whatever you value you will do that. It will reflect in your action naturally. You cant adopt a value. Value is already something thats running you.

For eg. If you have a urgent meeting at office and your friend calls for help as he is not well and hospitalized?  What will you do? Just pause and ask this question to yourself.

If you value your friendship you might reschedule meeting, if you value work you might go to your friend after sometime.

However there is one more thing about values. It will force you to choose in critical moments. And hence what reflects in the critical moments in your jobs, careers and business are your values. And they are reflected not by what you say, but by what you do....

Seems like a long post...but i feel it was worth it...Let me know what you feel??

2 Most Innocent yet Lethal Mind Patterns to watch out for

In my last 15 years of research on Mind Dynamics, here are few patterns that i have found unhealthy. These patterns i had observed in people whom i coached, people whom i met and even in myself sometimes.

Being aware of the impact of these patterns, at least i can break them actively. This post is to help you break them...

Pattern 1. Am the most unfortunate soul...
This is a unique hidden pattern found in almost all of us, the moment things are not going the way we want. Instead of accepting reality, we make it mean something. If you really look at this pattern, its based on what i call "Selective context data gathering" ability of mind. What it means is the moment you begin to view yourself as unfortunate soul, your mind will automatically gather data to support your assumption.

Pattern Breaker : Turn around. Next time you catch yourself getting lost in self pity, just turn around the statement to I am the most fortunate soul. And then see the magic of your mind...

Pattern 2: Am not good enough.
This i call as the one of the classic pattern that had plagued human consciousness since time immemorial. A lie that helps us not take and claim responsibility for our actions. I call it a lie...because it is a lie. As you will use the pattern breaker, you will slowly and naturally begin to discover that it is a lie...

Pattern Breaker : Next time you see yourself running this auto dialog. Just ask a simple question..."Not good enough...Compared to whom?" There it will go up in smoke. It will give you a list of people you are benchmarking yourself against. As if you are a business process that needs to fulfill the benchmarking parameters of others. Thats stupid.
Set yourself free. Know deep in your heart, you are the most unique creature on this earth and there is no one else like you. And hence drop the effort of confirming to any standards that are outside of you. Celebrate who u are...No matter what...

In my journey as a Mind Magic explorer, i have found these two patterns as the most innocent looking and harmless, yet i have always seen that impacts of these patterns actually are carried through our genes for generations. And 99% of the time the impacts are lethal on our mental health and sense of well-being. So next time you see yourself running these, you know what to do...

Do let me know if you found this useful...

Storm in, stirr and leave...

The other day i was helping my friend Manisha in kitchen. ( As some of you know, my declared status in Pune is a pile on, enforced, adopted son of Samir & Manisha Belvalkar).

And i was amazed at what i learned there so i started a separate category of posts called Management Lessons from Kitchen.

Here is the first lesson...
1. Walk in to peace, create chaos, live in the chaos, leave the chaos to others, walk out with your job done
When i entered the kitchen with manisha, it represented a peaceful silent space. Everything in perfect order. And then Manisha and i created chaos in the kitchen in our attempt to cook yet another fascinating, delicious dish.

In thirty mins of our operation schedule, almost 25 % of kitchen utensils and other resources were out on the kitchen table. Leaving me in a state of flurry (and our cat Chi Chi and dogs Jerry & Scooby in a state of amusement). We were done with the cooking. And there came the maid to bring back the order.

The whole sequence somehow reminded me of the last consulting assignment that i completed. The situation was same. Initially it was a steady, peaceful business. Then came a high power leader. Who questioned everything. Created a flurry across the organization. Turned around the whole business. And walked out successfully. Leaving the job of cleaning and fine tuning to the future and emerging leaders.

I think corporate India needs more cooks like that. And also our country...what do you say???

4 fundamental questions for building your dream job / career / life

When i was working at GE, couple of years back, i found this amazing book that helped me take some right decisions. This book "Repacking your bags" by Richard J Leider and David A Shapiro contains 4 fundamental questions. When i asked those questions to myself it created at first an hazy vision of the life that i am living now.

Thought when those questions helped me, am sure they might help some of you too...

Am not dishing out the questions here, but the answers that i found. I found the answer and its written below. If you are curious about the questions, just read the answer and figure out for yourself. And when you figure out the questions, please find the answer that might lead to your dream job, career or your dream life.

My answer that satisfies me each day...
"I am in the company of my near and dear once, living in the city i call home, doing what i feel passionate about, and being rewarded for my effort generously."

Ps. please pay attention to the order of the answer as well...Do let me know what you found for yourself...

5 Things you must know about office promotions

Lately, i have been conducting programs for a lot of IT Project Managers. Often the conversation that does come up is about assessment and appraisals. Here are few patterns that i have observed about Managers. The knowledge of these patterns you must have if you wish to positively influence your boss before your next appraisals...
1. Am gonna do it now...
Always know that your boss or manager is not really assessing you through out the year, but he/she will do it as the appraisal time comes near. You need to be careful about your communication, your office time, your conflicts with others etc. just a month before the appraisal.
You never know in which meeting near the appraisal time, your boss is gonna say "Am gonna appraise this chicken now".

2. Mr. & Miss Popular, Please take the first seat
Whether you like it or not, your popularity and likeability quotient matters. Finally we all are victims of perceptual reality. If your boss perceives you as a Mr. or Ms. popular, she does not want to displease you.

3. "What do you think of Dumbo from my team?"
Sad but true. Sometimes the people who can influence your promotion decision are not from your team. They could be your bosses friends in organization, his peers, his boss, and if you have visited or met up with your boss's spouse or children, then even them.
You never know when your boss might pop this question to any of the above.

4. I know he is good, but...
Most of the times, your boss is also victim of organizational policies and grid structure for assessments. In this case, he really is helpless if he is ruling you out. Kindly know, he gets filled with guilt upto the brim. So much so that some of the symptoms could be avoiding eye contact with you,  leaving the meeting room when you enter, replying in  words and not sentences.

5. Am i doing the right thing?
This is most important, no matter what you believe about your boss. She is always thinking whether she is doing the right thing by getting you promoted. Especially, when the assessment time is around the corner. You might not want to do anything that might upset her judgment about you.

Will reveal more in my upcoming posts on career development

Easy. Thats how its going to be

Am going to keep it easy. Thats a promise. No matter who you are, whether one of my program participant or a client or anyone who have chanced upon this blog, i make a promise to you. Whatever you will find here will be "EASY".

Whether its a career advice or a management tip, am going to keep it easy.

Thats a promise. And short also. (this i will try, but wont commit)  :-)