Great Organisations

1. Manage processes and not people. Focus not on what they do, but on how they do it. It is not the hours that is counted but the tasks that are completed that are monitored. The process followed is analysed and even Frederick Taylor in his scientific management states the same. Taylor becomes interested in improving the productivity in steel factory and he has brought out the four principles of Scientific management to improve productivity.  A good and great organisation always manages processes.
2. Use techniques like benchmarking to achieve continuous improvement – Benchmarking is not difficult as it sounds. There are proven methods to do the same. Successful organisation is using this method to retain the leadership in their field.
3. Value Incremental gains –  If we look at great organisations from outside, one might feel that so much is achieved and how they are able to continuously improve and grow. The way they do as a team is appreciating even the smallest gains. So there is always positive vibe in the whole system. But if we look at organisations which are not able to reach hight even with highly qualified and experienced staff, it is just because of this single factor. The positive communication is lacking and always there is a way in which you try to find fault in others as if the top leaders are beyond any mistakes and are not party to it.
4. Measure performance by customer satisfaction – An organisation exists only and only to satisfy customers. Great organisations measure the performance of its employees not by the revenue it is able to generate in short term, but by the satisfaction level of customers. There are specially designed metrics for this purpose in great organisations.

       5.  Introduce new products faster than the completion – There is always a challenge with in the organisation to produce and bring out better product for

             the customers benefit. This is lacking in mediocre organisations

Due to this if you are a person who can take initiatives and even if you fail, have the bigger goal in mind, the success will happen.

I am stating here a real time experience that I had. This is not of any backward village or uneducated and illiterate group of people in India. This happens in the so called middle class society group get together in the capital of India, ie New Delhi.  Mostly all those present  are  highly educated – Post Graduate plus and all follow the so called Equality ideology at-least in thought and discussions.

This is a group of friends along with family getting together to celebrate the luxuries they have acquired during the last year! It is basically a show off meeting and all the friends have been known for more than 20 years ie. they have been together during or after education.

The ladies had food together and most of them were surprised when the only maid/servent who was working there was asked to sit along with other ladies who were presnt. In the beginning one or two persons started staring at the girl. Then one by one the comment was – why? is it allowed? is it not  bad? is it our tradition? and many more questions. Is there any where other than in this house that it is done?

It ignited a point in my mind. Why not.  what is so unusual here? For me it was not new thing. My grand parents who were all alone in their home used to have one help who used to sit with them and have food. Later now my parents also follow the same principle. What is there for the hue and cry?

It is the attitude which cannot be changed by education but by the emotional maturity and growth. I could find that the rich who have huge bank balance and runs huge corporates are not the real rich in terms of emotional richness.  They just are very poor in emotional richness and ie why they amass huge wealth which does not have any use for them after their exit from the planet.

Few takeaways from this are

a. Some who wants to treat other equal finds road block from their on near and dear ones

b. It needs lots of courage and emotional maturity to venture in to and accept the reality

c. We cannot expect all to be equal mature in behaviour and attitude

It is rightly said that Beggars cannot be choosers. Standing in the front portion of the Low Floor DTC is not a nice experience. You are always kicked and pushed by the passengers who are getting down or planning to get down. But then, options some times become limited and the best option is the one which is available. Once I was standing in the front portion and since there is enough space to keep your things, I had kept my bag there and was holding on to the Yellow holding rods to support the turbulent journey. It was with out warning that one fellow of around 21 years jumped from some where in the back and sat in the space where people had kept the bags. He literally sat in my hand. Not even a sorry, and pushed off all the bags and sat as if he had inherited it and others are just passers by. But then, this is what happens in a country where resource is scarce and education and culture are in dictionary and are there, for poets and politicians to boost off.

I was feeling sorry for the poor chap. I did not need Sherlock Homes skill to understand that that he is a painter by profession and is passing though a very tough time in life. Since there is no adequate transportation facility in the city like Delhi, poor chaps like him experience the worst daily. He is not educated as per academic and cultural standards and as per Charles Darvins theory he is in the mist of survival of the fittest.

But then there is other kind of persons whom we meet daily, who are highly qualified, in high position and dress like god, move in the trendy vehicles. Are they educated? Again, they are the first to use abusive language. They do not mind passing loose remarks at others. Shows off their valuables and does not mind boosting off. They feel their booze parties should be discussed in front of even women staff in office, to show the power they have. Still there are others who dress and move like a celebrity and does not have any time for any one else but themselves.

We insist on education. All our leaders are speaking about it. All our national daily’s are promoting the same through different promotions.But is it that we need? Will it solve the problems that we face?

When the parents do not have time to spend with children and travel three hours a day and spend eight hours in an office, who is developing the real education of these future Indians? School? Teachers? Television? Friends? FM Channels?. Yes, it is all these that play a crucial role. But then can some one substitute the role of Parents, family and good teachers?. In the race to cover vast syllabus and getting highest marks possible, we are not giving even 10 percent attention to the character building education of our future generation.

Whom can we blame for? It is we ourselves who are responsible for the diminishing scenario. If we can spend at least one productive hour with our future generation, we will immensely improve the character and education of our future generation.

Daily papers are full of the news of the teen’s suicides. Why? What is happening to the Indian Teens? Is there some virus on the sprawl? If we look at the real scenario, we find that the current teens are the ones who are born in the modern communication age. All of them have been born with a TV at home and a telephone in most cases with in the radius of 5 to 10 kms. By the time they are 10 years India experienced the mobile revolution. So with so much communication tools why there is this suicides? Is the communication not a solution for most of the unknown problems? But too much time with ones friends draws one away from ones family.

From ancient time family has been the backbone for Indian society and once this started breaking, the support for the individual goes off. I do remember, once I had a very bad day in school, as I had fight with friends and due to that I came last in my school race. Living in a joint family is an experience by itself. If I just mention it, there will be huge laugh at home from my cousins and aunts. But as I reached home, my grandmother called me and said to come to her room immediately as she has some urgent work. Once inside her room, she asked me why I am feeling so frustrated and moody. I did not know how she knew that I was not in my usual self. But then she give me some hidden goodies which some of my distant aunt might have gifted her when they came visiting her. Then I could explain the whole situation and she pacified me and lifted my spirit so much that I never remembered the thing again till next day morning. How could she know that i was not in my usual self? I asked her later. Simple, she can see me coming home with other school kids from a distance as she sat in her chair in the courtyard. She found that i was moving slowly with out interest and once i reached the courtyard she found my face to be with out glow. So she called me to solve the problem. So simple is it not? But we have broken that helpful system of life.

Does this kind of network exist now? No in large percentage. Even if the mother is not working, she is so occupied with the other activities that she does not have that time to notice these. It is not that there are parents who do not do it. But the percentage is declining.

So as our education level improving are we really educated? Answer is very evident.

1. Phone – whether mobile or hand held phone, this is one of the most commonly misused equipment. Phone is very useful, but since we have to manage our time, and if we just use it to talk to friends then we will never know how time flies and how we will not be able to the productive things which would have done otherwise.

2. Television – Television or TV as it is usually called is another time killer. From office goers to school kids, this is one of the easiest time killers. There are lots of interesting things happening in the unlimited channels in our TV. We forget that we have only limited time during the day to achieve many of the things and just become couch potatoes.

3. Social Networking sites – All of us who are addicted to twitter, face book and other social networking sites knows that we forget to note the time that we spend in front of the computer/moble. It is because of this feature that these sites are quite famous among youth. But the problem is we forget to value the time that we waste in front of the computer.

4. Movie – they are trilling, are engrossing and have all the good mix that can hold you for two to three hours. Movie is an entertainment which if we plan and watch once a week etc, it would surely improve and motivate us. But in the modern day when every thing is in plenty, we find that there is lot of time wastage due to the move watching through out the day.

5. Procrastination – putting things to later date and delay dallying with the tasks wastes lot of time. Much time is wasted in thinking and getting tense about the task, rather than thinking of steps to do it. Ultimately one has to do complete the task how much time we waste on taking the tension. Why not do it?

6. Meetings – You might have seen many executives’ moves from one meeting to another and to another. Meetings can be real time waster if there is no reason and agenda. We can fall into the habit of holding meetings without getting to know that the same time can be used more effectively and productively.

7. Hesitate to saying No – If we take up all the work that comes to us and hesitate to say NO, we are sure to do lot of things but not doing the right thing which will take us ahead and move us forward.

education

I started thinking of the value and use of education finding an article on steps being taken by Kendriya vidyalaya to reduce the load of students school bags.

Ancient times education in India used to be imparted by Gurus. They used to have the different kinds of tough selection process and used to teach selected students. The education used to be imparted was basically on life skills and the best students used to get to learn skills which will betterment the human life. They used to become greater and well known.

Once man started progressing, education was considered very important by the kings so that the educated public will become asset for the country. Kings used to reward teachers who used to bring in best in the students. The completion of the teacher was done looking at the skills of the students the teacher produced.

Kings used to reward teachers with gold and valuables. They were considered the first class people of the country. By this the society and the king also expected few standards from the teachers or gurus. They will always be truthful, kind and will always give away knowledge for the welfare of the society.

After the industrial revolution, mass production became the norm. All goods were mass produced and even education became a commodity of production.

Earlier the teachers or guru’s as they were called, wanted only the student’s brain. The students never carried any books. They used to write in leafs. They used to teach and the mind of the student was the tool used. But after industrial revolution, when education also became a mass product, books and reference material and writing tools became essential. For subjects which were taught, there became special books as reference and then there are books for writing and practicing.

Subject specific tools and teachers also became a commodity. They have reference to look at and then it became easy for the teachers to teach and impart skills to students. Teachers were again considered as a tool in production factory and the students were provided with education as in factory manner. Even this is not bad and it is only progress of the education system which is happening due to this. But we are loosing on the actual usage of the tools.

Because of this, instead of the mind which was the tool used by the teacher to teach, books and other tools became the tool. What happened due to this is still wonderful. Few students who were able to understand what the teacher said and mug it up could score higher marks and they were considered best performers. While few who could not understand, but could mug it up and scored high also became best performers. So the difference between the learned and non-learned was not considered as a parameter.

The life skill learning was not given importance after the mass education program was implemented. After passage of time, more and more stress was given on subject’s specific learning and less importance is given to life skills. Due to this, education itself became stressful for the students. Instead of enjoying the learning process, now they are becoming the burden for the students.

Is this the right way of teaching? Are we allowing the growth of our society ? and is our education system enabling the same? If we look at the teaching methods’ and objectives that we are trying to achieve by the same we find that we are again following the mass production strategy.

Is this the solution? If we look at the system we find the respect for the teachers have surely eroded away. It is not due to the fact that teachers are not capable, but the system itself is so complicated that a good teacher does not get the opportunity to groom students to become a good educated citizen.

I had a maths teacher who gives actual life examples in the class which enabled me to enjoy the subject and score well. Also I used to practically help my family in maintaining budget and calculating cost of the production etc.

What is the solution?

I feel technology is the solution. Products like Kindle can solve the school bag weight problem. But we have to see that teaching also makes students better human being and improves the social value.

Few steps which will enable the growth of society by education

- Children should be given option to choose in education

- Right teacher and student ratio to be maintained.

- The performance of the students to be the criteria for judging the teachers performance

- Basic life skills need to be taught to all compulsorily till 10th standard

- Growth and maturity of the student to be valued in considering the evaluation process

The year 2010 brings in fresh breeze and it gives us an opportunity to move ahead and work for a better world. Lets pledge on the New Year day of 2010

1. Let this new year be a lamp that we lit to light up the new world order.
2. Let each of us contribute our bit to the peace of the world
3. Lets be taking decisions which are more environment friendly
4. Lets question our beliefs and think a fresh
5. Lets first of all try to understand ourselves before we try to understand others
6. Lets be positive and explore the world with bright vision
7. Lets be nice to others and to ourselves
8. Lets be truthful to ourselves
9. Lets respect each other specially weaker people like children and ones with health problems
10. Let’s fight the greed and encourage growth for sincerity.
11. Lets respect market forces and encourage creativity

She came to my life exactly 2 years four months and 10 days ago.

It was by luck or by chance that I came to know Omana. I must have done some thing so great that I had the fortune of coming to know Omana.

She never give me any chance to complain. Her performance was of perfection. I never had to loose my cool over Omana’s performance.

Life is full of giving and taking. Yes, I lost Omana on 14th December, 2009 exactly 2years, 4 months and 10 days of knowing her.

Am I unhappy at loosing Omana?

Yes, you always feels sorrow of loosing known ones. But the law of nature teaches only one thing that is – Change is constant.

I lost some sleep for Omana. But then, life goes on and  Omana comes to life once a while as reminder.

Bye Bye Omana and be happy where ever you are.

Newspaper Boy

Shyam is the Newspaper boy. He delivers daily the newspaper at our home without fail. While discussing with him came to know of the problems the newspaper boys face in Delhi. Even if it rains, it is very cold or it is very hot, Shyam is always there bringing newspaper.As per Shyam, he is working as a newspaper boy to earn some extra income so that he can support his family. He is the main earning member of the family. He works in a factory in the day time and the newspaper delivery in the morning gives him some extra income. All though the job does not need much skill, the basic need of timely delivery of paper is the real challenge.

As per discussions few of the problems that he would like us note are

1. Newspaper has to be collected in the early morning. Number of street dogs attack them

2. There is no Identity card allocated to newspaper boys so they are always targets of police beat constables while going to pick paper in the early morning.

3. Collection of monthly bill is another headache. Mostly housewives will ask them to come again after some time as she is busy. They do not realize that they have to climb so many floors again and again.

4. Many persons want the paper at 6.00 am sharp. Some times the vehicles comes late and so it is very difficult to meet the deadline. There is fight in those cases. Although Shyam tries to take special care of these kind of person, it is some times a challenge.

5. Since it is a part-time job, there is no guarantee that they will be retained by the contractor. So there is no chance of getting better revenue.

After discussing with Shyam, I realised that there are so many problems and solutions that we all bringout daily. Life is beautiful although there is lot of struggle for survival.

Dwarka Circular Sewa flagged off on 24th November 2009 has created a landmark for the sub-city of Dwarka. It is a different travel experience for Dwarakites and also for the people of Delhi. These AC buses fitted with Automated Fare Collection System provides glimpse of things to come in the city. These CNG buses are clean, smart looking with digital display board, Better comfortable seats and digital display board inside providing call centre information.

It has been an experience for a Delhite like me. It give me smile at my face after the journey. To travel in a class apart, from the crowded and un-cleaned DTC buses or for that matter the untidy Blue line buses – notorious for killing public in Delhi roads, Dwarka Circular Sewa is a big welcome.

The Dwarka Circular Sewa has + ve and _ ve lines. The bus service touches mostly all the sectors of Dwarka. The major points it touches are Dwarka More- which is the point near Magalapuri bus terminal, Dwarka sector 6/7 crossing, Sector 10 metro station, Sector 8 DTC Depot, Sector 22/23, Sector 22 , Pochanpur, Sector 19 – pocket 1, 3, sector 18B, Sector 12, sector 4, Sector 5.

After taking the journey I found some areas which can be improved upon

• Awareness of the service is less among the public. Need to educate the public about the facility. The people were not aware which route the bus is going.
• The route taken is long one. So people will not be interested in spending so much money for a long route.
• The rate need to be reduced – It can be kept at Rs 5 and Rs 10.
• Involve the Resident welfare Associations  for circulating about the service and timings with the map in different societies.
• Once the service runs for one or two months, DTC can have a meeting with Resident welfare associations making a better route for the Dwarka Circular Sewa
• The drivers and conductors are not educated with the new system. More training needs to be provided to them.
• An automatic announcement can make the journey a better one – like in Metro. While coming back it was dark and as Dwarka has street light problem like any other part of Delhi, it was not possible to know the bus stop.