I will win

What - am I so scared of

Scared of… losing - not winning, not getting noticed, not being able to achieve targets, not being able to perform,  more task given to you, important task not given to you……what times are we living in.

Cell rings and your heart starts beating faster and within fraction of seconds you get scared. Your cell does not ring at times and the heart starts beating faster. When there was no cell phone everything was so  depended on the post man and STD. But the heart knew it will only happen with time.

Being scared is  a small duration feeling and suddenly you become strong as you move from the unknown to the known, as now you know the consequences. But it’s the intensity of being scared that concerns me.

Chill Mar, Tension mat le... de, All is well, believe in your self are few things we say…..

So how do all these help?

Organs function on signals from mind and mind is the receptor of eyes, nose, ears, hands, tongue. How does this sensor give me signals of “I will win?”

Actually sensors will scare you; you can’t train them but you can work hard to create a space that is FREE of walls.

I will win only if I have worked hard to create an environment of honesty, openness and acceptability. Accept the nature’s truth that all living beings have their strength and weakness which will not last forever.

Just wanted to complete with:

WHERE the mind is without fear and the head is held high

Where knowledge is free

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments

By narrow domestic walls

Where words come out from the depth of truth

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way

Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit

Where the mind is led forward by thee

Into ever-widening thought and action

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

-Rabindranath Tagore

Why Me

Aacharyat paadmadate,

padn shishya swyamedhya,

padn sahbhramcharibhya,

padn kaalkrmen ch.

Sanskrit words from the learned I believe in.

Meaning: A student learns a quarter from teacher, a quarter from own intelligence, a quarter from fellow students, and the rest in course of time.

Before I present “Why ME”, it’s important I state.

To me, my journey of work has been based upon foundations, learning, hardwork and success.

Clarity of concepts built my foundations, understanding of dynamic environments came from constant learning, hardwork of self and teams has seen thoughts become reality. And this is what I have called success, simply put, Achievement with Satisfaction.

Now answering as to why ME:

Pradeep Das is a blend of Attitude, Dynamism, People Skills, Sports, Music and Food, a blend of what we call Strength and Simplicity.

As an individual, qualities that I am born with and those that I have acquired with time have made me Passionate and Persevering towards my goals.

On the canvas of life learning and growth came from diverse experiences. From the sports loving city of Kolkata learning and playing Cricket and Football, has right from the early years enforced the power of TEAM WORK in me.

Having completed Hotel Management from IHM, 3 specialized years has taught me that the art of cooking lies in the DETAILING of it Flavors and PROCESS.

To take my understanding of Business to a more structured form, while at Future I completed my MBA from Symbiosis.

My Career spans across 14 years and 4 organizations including MNC and Indian Firms from Hospitality and Retail. I began the understanding of OPERATIONS from its grass root level. Currently I manage a territory across states and am responsible for delivering results managing a team across levels and formats in the area.

My tenure with Future Group has been of 5 years and enriching challenges. I have performed in an organization with a strong Indian Foundation successfully expanding its consumer base. Being a part of a growing industry and a growing organization has brought out many Entrepreneurial traits in my personality.

·         Results include stores that my team and I have turned around towards profitability.

·         Launched new stores across formats.

·         Won the Best MANAGER Competitions.

My Role today demands strong Leadership Decision making and Teamwork since I find myself in a position where I play a part in taking business to the next level and channelizing the growth of those in my team.

Keep Moving

Keep Moving

A leader takes risks, to allow people the freedom to try things out without the fear of consequences.

So when I put this in practice I see lot of emotions – frustration of not been able to get desired result, loss of faith and a tendency of changing company.

So when the seed is under the huge rock, who has the upper hand, the greater power – The Rock as it can crush the sapling. The sapling however, does not assert itself, does not fight the rock, it gently circumvents the rock and keeps growing along its side. And one day that same sapling has become a huge tree. At that time where do you think the rock sits?

In a management career a sales job is a great way to reach the top. In no other profession are you required to listen as much. A ground staff must not only listen with his mind, he has to sometimes listen with his soul. You learn to read body language and emotions. You learn to isolate the stated needs from the unstated concerns of a customer.

Only when you listen well, you will be able to see what lies beneath the surface. (like an iceberg)

In sales, one learns to deal with variety of people. No two customers or methods of selling are the same. Even as you meet the same customer many times you see them in different moods and moments.

They can be very different people and a sale without negotiation is like courtship without romance. The negotiation skills we learn in selling become essential as one grows in any profession. You negotiate with your boss, your peers, and your children and sometimes with complete strangers. While life is about constant negotiation only selling teaches you the nuances of negotiating.

A sales person learns to take rejection as a way of life.

It is interesting how quickly season change in the corporate world. What was a priority yesterday may not be a priority today and you past glory is only as relevant as the current war.

So only thing that walks along your side is your learning and learning never stops, not at any age so keep learning.

(Also extracts from GO KISS THE WORLD by Subroto Bagchi)

I don’t agree

I don’t agree

How difficult is it to have an Honest and Performance driven simple culture.

Why should I buy eggs in dozens and not in multiple of 10’s, so what if all refrigerator makers also make their egg cabinets in dozens?

Why should platform ticket be sold from one counter of 22 counters at railway station? Is it not a ticket?

People say be a child if you want to learn new things and when someone asks an innocent question we all get a topic to enjoy on it over tea.

I may be a little ignorant to comment on Annaji’s fast on corruption. One needs guts to do it for others but the only thought that always crosses my mind is that all of my Milk men have given pure milk only in their initial weeks.

If you are caught by a Traffic Police and you get away giving him money instead of fine. Then why the fine amount shouldn’t be reduced to bribe amount.

Why should I read motivational columns and watch movies to motivate people isn’t there enough motivation within us for us to identify. No one needs gyan actually as there is nothing new in any of these things.. They all talk about doing things right with passion and consistently.

But yet all companies get on to motivate people but all those fail who can’t substantiate their motivation into some form of real deliverables and reward.

Why would I ask an efficient employee how much time has he spent working for company to be promoted rather focusing on how much of his work has benefited the company.

I see a young guy working late in office at a very junior level as he is new and he takes it all on his face as he just wants to grow.

But how many on us tell them that you will grow only if you spend 2yrs working on the same level irrespective of you quality.

I don’t agree ….that’s why I like when Ranbir says “keep it simple silly”

When I am about to quit the company all the good things start coming to me, salary raise, promotion, attention to my work…. then should I be looking for a new job, knowing that’s the way to move up the ladder faster.

Babblu is a very innovative guy who gets into a new company and starts working right and as a result starts giving results, but in order to do it he has to cross many people who are parallel to him.

Now on the face all accept Babblu has being doing good work but at his back they are not happy as they are getting beating as Babblu keeps coming with right question to enhance business further and others find it hard to meet his pace.

Should Babblu reduce his pace?

Had it been a sports game I would have agreed without reasoning.

All I have learnt is have time for task to complete it effectively and use your common sense.

People talk about managerial skills.

§  Lead from front

§  Role Model

§  Feedback

§  Communication ……..

Then HR wants to make a plan of it on paper and get everyone to follow it. But does it work? 

I don’t agree to lot of people to what they say and they do.

There are so many pop ups in life today. But no pop up blocker.

How difficult is it to have an Honest and Performance driven simple culture.

We are civilized today

We are civilized today

Let’s read this quote from movie God must be crazy. (Kalahari an Adavasi Group in African Jungle)

Only 600 miles to the south, there's a vast city. And here you find civilized man.

Civilized man refused to adapt himself to his environment. Instead he adapted his environment to suit him. So he built cities, roads, vehicles, machinery. And he put up power lines to run his labor-saving devices. But he didn't know when to stop.

The more he improved his surroundings to make life easier the more complicated he made it. Now his children are sentenced to 10 to 15 years of school, to learn how to survive in this complex and hazardous habitat.

And civilized man, who refused to adapt to his surroundings now finds he has to adapt and re-adapt every hour of the day to his self-created environment. For instance, if it's Monday and 7:30 comes up, you have to disadapt from your domestic surroundings and re-adapt yourself to an entirely different environment. 8:00 means everybody has to look busy. 10:30 means you can stop looking busy for 15 minutes. And then, you have to look busy again. Your day is chopped into pieces. In each segment of time you adapt to new circumstances.

In the Kalahari, it's always Tuesday, or Thursday if you like. Or Sunday. No clocks or calendars tell you to do this or that.

So Kalahari are basically honest people as they are still not touched by the evil or to say as they don’t know bad so all is good for them.

We are Civilized. But still we can’t

¾     Be complete honest in our work, feedbacks or raising issues.

¾     Say to company that process rolled out is not effective enough (be it any new software that tells or tracks your physical activity) we just tend to follow it asking oneself, why am I doing this?

¾     Question on numerous irrelevant data asked from us, which might take days to make but ultimately no one uses it.

So what happens?

People lie and hide, be diplomatic to Bosses and subordinates, the point is “truth also hides and becomes diplomatic.”

Does Truth or Simplicity helps, ask the greatest entrepreneur and they shall vouch for it. But do they get Truth from the civilized people they hire to run the business. Answer is not sooner.

Sooner the Better isn’t it, but how.

 “I know you would say I am asking too much” but isn’t it simple to be open in thought if we create an environment. Ask for only fact or data that is tangible and before asking question also understands if it will help both the ends to nurture business.

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When I just look around

In office : I see people troubled on cell phones, may be just by the nos of call they make on same subject to different people trying to explain something. Simplest of things looks so tough from the time you try to explain it to someone who can only hear your voice with 70% clarity of voice & 0% clarity of mood.

On Road: I see people drive with anger; anger that they throw on to neighbor vehicle and just trying to say can’t you see it’s ME. I exist in this world

In Mall: I see people feeling happy with the shopping bags more than the company they walk with.

In Gym: I see people so much within themselves and they look happy to me. They see themselves in mirrors “I guess they feel hey ITS ME”

At Tea Stall: I see people happy gossiping it seems that they are getting rid of something.

We are civilized today.

We have more information than previous genre, more power and we are more arrogant as well from pre – genration.

I guess arrogance comes from majorly work arena where we spend more time than anyplace else. The happiness comes when we get an opportunity to speak our heart out (Be it at any Tapri or Evening drinks Party) or when we get an opportunity to tell world look this is me (Look I am sweating, look at the shopping bags in my hand)

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In Kalahari

They have no crime, no punishment, no violence, no laws no police, judges, rulers or bosses. They believe that the gods put only good and useful things on the earth for them.

In this world of theirs, nothing is bad or evil. Even a poisonous snake is not bad. You just have to keep away from the sharp end. Actually, a snake is very good. In fact, it's delicious. And the skin makes a fine pouch.

Request to civilized readers drop a little arrogance and believe gods put only good and useful things on the earth.

Efficiency: A measure & is it related to Belief

Efficiency:  A measure & is it related to Belief

Definition “the state or quality of being efficient; competency in performance”. We want 100% efficient people in our Team, we want 100% efficiency from our relationship, we want 100% efficiency from all machinery, gadgets etc we use. But do we get it ever?

Let’s say the scale of measurement is from 0 to 100% for efficiency. Then I say in all walks of our life and in all kinds of things be it a relationship, work or even love for that matter it can be measured.

A new job, new love, new friend the efficiency is at maximum say 100 but how many of us can drive a bike at a speed of 80 consistently and for how long, eventually we will change gears. Even the best of the engines, greatest of the humans, best of the feelings will retard. That’s how Brahma has created things.

A Professional life experience:

A department or store can never be 100% efficient 365 days that does not mean it’s not efficient. At times people come to me and praise a Manager and at times they come and say he is not good enough.

When we go to a temple we close our eyes and ask for wishes. But have we ever opened our eyes and complained to the Priest on the tilak or garland or anything else about the Idol. Answers is NO.

WHY?

Because we have a strong belief in efficiency of god (Unseen – though he also gives us tough times) so the figurine does not matter.

So when someone claims a Manager to be bad, does he close his eyes and looks at his efficiency of present or efficiency he posses. It not possible for a Manager to be 100% efficient 365 days, he will change gears and retard. Does that mean he is no more a good manager?

So the point is who is a good Manager?

Let’s take an e.g. of cricket. Any good cricketer Sachin, Virat or anyone, they have to show one strength in any arena to be in Team i.e. is batting or bowling etc and be a good Team player.

Likewise any good manager needs to show some strength like – inventory control, people management, hygiene, sales etc and be a good Team Player (this is measurable) if he has shown strength in any one arena he is a good manger – PERIOD.

Now think back of all Managers you can, do you clearly identify his one strength, if no then he is not and if you do then he is – A good Manager.

Now think of any process.

None of the process is meant to give you 100% efficiency. But the plan is if it’s rolled out effectively it will result in say 70% of compliant and that’s what the efficiency you get.

So when people say “One guy follows the process well and other does not” well they have different efficiency level at different times.

So only question one need to ask is

How do I get maximum efficiency in any work of life?

Well simple answer, keep doing things differently to keep it New. If it means keep changing process or keep changing tasks for people………do something to keep it New to get maximum efficiency.

Imagine what would happen to a store sales if its efficiency is at 100% 365 days. Or to a Human whose efficiency is 100% 365 days. So believe in yourself, your efficiency and do the NEW.

My math’s tutor said: “Never say I can’t do this problem, instead say I can’t do this now”

Do you Believe in luck

Do you believe in Luck?

Ask it to Indian (Any religion) he will show you a ring on finger or stone around his neck of a Talisman, but are they portraying LUCK or Faith?

Faith and Luck both are unseen yet we put so much of science to it just to get the fact. “All is well”

Ask me and I probably without analyzing would say YES.

Analyze:

Sudden attack can you defend, you are best someone beats you can you take that, you broken record in past now dwelling on it.

'What Every Man Thinks About Apart From Sex', written by British author Sheridan Simove, has only a front cover and 200 completely blank pages and has outsold both Harry Potter and The Da Vinci Code within weeks of its release on Amazon.com.

Was it author and publishers Luck or Faith.

Do you believe in Luck?

Ask Allan McNish and he would say
“I personally do not believe in luck. I think luck is an excuse for people who have failed in their mission to do something. If you do your track ratio correct, if you do your work, if you think about things, if you make the correct judgments on the risks that you take and if you stay out of the pits - then you win the race. And that's not luck, that's hard work.”

I know I should not believe in Luck but have faith in what I do, it’s only then I do the best. It’s The thing that no one can take from you.

Don’t believe.