Saturday, October 18, 2008

Not much on web these days !!

I haven't been able to take out time to write something on my blog for many days now. When you are short of time to breathe, perhaps blogging takes a lower priority. Over the last month, life has been hectic - much more than I have ever experienced. The divergent priorities - Professional and Personal - each at peak in its own terms have taught me numerous things in one month.

First, I have learnt and applied more time-management techniques these days. I attempt to visualize my day and plan for the same during shower / during travel to work. This has helped me to recollect my priorities of the day often.

Second, I have also learnt to stay composed under pressure situation. I have learnt it hard way when I reacted impulsively to a situation at work that had rippling effect on my work. I escalated about an person whereas I could have handled the situation more calmly and talked personally first to the person. However, I learnt the importance of carrying everyone along in tough situation. You never know in delicate situations how things sway in various directions quickly.

Third, I have also realized the importance to disconnet yourself from work / personal things. It is important to stay in present. When at work, focus on work. When at home, focus on your stuff. Trust me, this ain't easy. Yet I feel I have succeeded in many ways to achieve this and till now, I am satisafied with my performance.

To conclude, I value this intense period of time in my life and I have the courage to think that this will pay rich dividends in time to come. At the same time, not everything is exactly on track and I have much more to accomplish in coming month. I am on !!!

Sunday, October 05, 2008

An amazing story !!

I was reading some of speeches from emminent business leaders and came across this wonderful story from Azim Premji about the power of education and cascading effects of educating one child.

The story is about a poor Scottish farmer named Fleming. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the boy from what could have been a slow and terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

"I want to repay you, " said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life." "No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment the farmer's own son came to the door of the hovel.

"Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes," the farmer replied proudly.

"I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If he's anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of." And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved him?
Penicillin.
This is not the end. The nobleman's son also made a great contribution to society. For the nobleman was none other than Lord Randolph Churchill. And his son's name was Winston Churchill.

I think this is the only way for accelerating economic growth and development for the entire world economy. Those who know, share there information. You never know when you end up making a farm kid into Alexander Fleming.