Looking Back: Life and Times of a Woman of Essence (Her Professional and personal Journey)

I first came to know about Dr Usha Sridhar in her avatar/ role as a poet when she joined the India poetry circle, a whats App group of poets writing in English in India, of which I am also a member.  However as I got to meet and interact with her, I realized that poetry was just one of her interests and that Usha is a multifaceted personality, a successful career woman with varied interests and a beater of the dreaded disease of cancer. It was a pleasure to do an interview and delve into the life and times of an achiever in every sense of the term. 

Rajeev Moothedath (RM):  Warm greetings to you Usha! It is my pleasure and privilege to do an interview with you. 

Usha Sridhar (US): Thank you. I am very happy to share my life journey with you, Rajeev.

RM:  Could you tell us something about your early life as a child? 

US: Well, my early childhood was about moving to different locations/ schools such as Chennai (where I was born), Vizag and Ernakulum as my dad worked in a transferrable job with Hindustan Petroleum (then called ESSO). I only have vague recollection of that period.

 It was only when we finally moved to Hyderabad on a permanent basis and I was admitted to the reputed private school, St Ann’s, that I began to come into my own. The school had the right ambience with supportive teachers and classmates. Apart from academics, I got exposure to sports, English classics, drama and music. 

RM: So the school played a big role in moulding your personality. 

US: Yes, you could say that a foundation for my thinking and behavior got shaped there. I developed a scientific temper and a strong secular attitude that has made me what I am today.   We were taught to be fearless, independent, humane and proud to be women.

RM: Which course did you take up after schooling? 

US: Those days under the ISC syllabus, after the 11th class,we could directly join a graduation course. I was planning to do graduation in science. Then an unexpected incident changed the course of my life.  I was visiting a friend’s house where I met a guest and friend of her father, who was an economist. He casually struck up conversation with me and asked me what I would like to pursue further.

As we talked, I was mesmerized by the world of economics. For the first time in my life, I was listening to terms like: economy, inflation, money market, economic growth etc.Later, to the surprise of my parents. I opted for Economics for my graduation. I have not regretted that decision.  Subsequently I got a scholarship to pursue M.A. in Economics and Econometrics at Osmania University.

RM:  Around that time, you also got seriously interested in sports? 

US: That was soon after my school. I became interested in sports and dreamt of becoming a sports woman. I used to play lawn tennis, baseball and cricket. 

 I took the initiative to start a women’s cricket team in Hyderabad. Our coach was impressed with my batting and fielding skills. He would take us to the Lalbahadur Sastri stadium to practice cricket and to watch the professional cricketers play; they would give us tips to better our game. 

RM: Then what happened? Why did you not pursue cricket? 

US:  All of a sudden, I developed pain in my leg. I was admitted to a hospital, I had a lumbar puncture. I was bedridden for weeks and was advised against playing. Looking back, this was a blessing in disguise as it enabled me to pursue scholastic achievements.

RM: Tell us about your journey after the post-graduation in Economics and Econometrics :-

US: Equipped with skills in economics and a strong desire to put it to use, after I graduated, I did a couple of projects to gain some experience, for a short period – like a year or so. Subsequently I joined the prestigious IISc Bangalore. Initially I joined the electrical engineering department to work with a multi-disciplinary group on a renewable energy project. 

  I got exposed to the various energy sources like mini hydel, solar energy, biogas, wind energy- that were good alternatives to the traditional way of power generation.  We did practical studies by actually going to villages to do the techno- economic feasibility studies. I got a chance to rub shoulders with scientists from the engineering field, during the duration of the project. 

RM: Having branched away from the study of science after school to pursue economics, why did you once again go back to studying electrical engineering and doing science projects? 

US: I did not pursue a course but was part of a research team in the Electrical Engineering department. They wanted an economist to assist in the economic studies of the various energy sources. 

RM: Your life has seen some interesting twists and turns. I understand that before completing the energy project, you moved on once again to do PhD in the Management studies department of IISc. 

US: This happened at the fag end of the project. Doing a PhD in an interesting field was too good an opportunity to miss. I enjoyed the process of deciding on a research topic, developing theories, mathematical models and software. I presented papers in conferences / journals, in India and abroad.It was an exhilarating experience. I got the gold medal for the best thesis (using Economics and Operations Research), at IISc.

RM: Where did your journey take you after your PhD? 

US: For the next two decades I worked in research labs in academia and industry including C-DAC (Pune and Bangalore), Institute of Systems Science – Singapore, and IBM-USA. I was exposed to new and different work cultures (in US / Singapore) and got an opportunity to do research in artificial intelligence and data mining. I focused on applying various types of quantitative methods to solve problems in the areas of financial engineering, marketing and production planning.

RM:  Yet, you decided to return to India? 

US: Suddenly an entrepreneurial bug bit me when I was in USA.  I wanted to try out what I had learnt till then, in India. My husband Sridhar and I returned to India and setup a small startup, which we named as Analytix Systems. We provided consulting and did projects in: a) mathematical modeling, analytics and b) software; with support from a bunch of talented persons who had joined the company. After running it for close to 9 years, we sold our company and Intellectual Property (IP) to another IT company.  Sridhar and I joined that company as Executive Vice Presidents (EVP).

RM: When and how did you know of your illness?   

US: Around the time we sold the company, my health had started deteriorating. After a checkup up, it was diagnosed that I had cancer.  It was the year 2008 and I was 50 years old.I was asked to undergo surgery immediately. I didn’t have any time to think or act. I quit my job and prepared myself for the worst. I decided to be positive, no matter what! I had a surgery to remove the malignant tumor and underwent a long spell of radiation.

RM: After the treatment, what did you to do to return to a normal life?

US:  It was my approach to the dreaded illness that saved me from falling apart. I was able to resume my life seamlessly, after my encounter with the ailment. I brought about changes in my life style to help cope better. I thought it was my ‘holy’ duty to sensitize people on the need for constant health checkups so that preventive measures could be taken, if essential. I read and wrote extensively, after my recovery. I found time to pursue my hobbies too.

.With respect to work, since I had resigned from the company prior to hospitalization, I went back to my first love of doing theoretical research in Economics. Presently I work in the area of Network Science, with the primary focus of applying economics and graph theory to analyzing group behavior when individuals cooperate or compete amongst themselves. Sridhar and I have published over 20 papers in international conferences and journals in this area in the past 10 years. 

RM: How did you get interested in literary activities? 

US: Oh, that happened purely by chance.  One day, not being able to solve a technical problem I was working on, out of sheer frustration,   I wrote a short story and uploaded it online. To my surprise, I got a warm response to it from the readers. Encouraged, I wrote a few more and was thrilled to find they were well received too.

Subsequently, I responded to a poetry festival notification inviting poems from aspiring poets and my poem was accepted.  I started reading out my poems in my friends’ circle meets whenever I jotted down a few lines. Later, I joined a WhatsApp group of Indian poets writing in English (IPC) where I met many talented poets who supported each other in honing one’s poetry writing skills. 

RM: I understand that today you are a published author and poet.

US: Yes, I have published three books of poetry titled: "Life Matters"; "Drenched in Reverie" & "Heightened Senses" and two collections of short stories titled "Women’s Corner", and "Shades in Shadows" in a short span since I started literary writing. I continue to take part in poetry festivals. Today, I pursue my professional and literary interests with vigor and passion. For me, they are two sides of the same coin.

RM: Your exposure and interests we have discussed so far, is amazing Usha, Are there any other interests you have? 

US: Well, I am very passionate about bird watching and photography. So much so, I bought a telephoto lens so that I could capture birds from a distance without disturbing them.  It gives me immense satisfaction when I go on bird watching trips and come back with a rich haul of photos. 

Travelling is an integral part of me. I love to travel around the world to learn how people in the other parts of the globe live.  I am very interested in understanding the culture, thinking, socio-economic and political milieu of various countries. When we lived in Singapore and USA, in between hectic schedules, we travelled extensively. Whether it was the snow capped mountains in Switzerland, the rich artistic culture of Italy or Greece, the jungles of Sri Lanka for birding; I liked them all.  What is a camera for- if not to capture the sights and smells of the wonderful lands? 

RM: Finally, tell us about your life partner Sridhar. It is clear from the interview that he has been shoulder to shoulder with you in this journey.

US: Yes, Sridhar has been my soulmate. We met at IISc in the early eighties when I joined the institute for higher studies. We subsequently married and have experienced life together with its many highs and lows, with a smile. He has been a strong support to me in all my major decisions after marriage.

RM: It is indeed wonderful interviewing a person who has left a mark in so many diverse areas and have also overcome adversity with grit and determination. Thank you so much Usha for talking to me. I am sure many women would be inspired to follow your example! 

US: Thank you Rajeev, I enjoyed this conversation with you. 

Glimpses from the Conference- "New Trends in HR and Training Industry- Part 2

Kaushik Mahapatra, leadership coach, Indian leadership academy spoke on the subject "NLP and accelerated learning". Neuro linguistic programming (NLP) enables the process of 'figuring out things for ourselves'. Rather than helping or seeking help from another it enables people to 'empower each other'. It has now been scientifically acknowledged that a lot of things get done through the power of the subconscious mind. It is important to make our power of observation strong.This can be achieved by practising awareness i.e. by being in the present.

The three words comprising NLP are Neuro ( five senses through which we perceive the world, Linguistic( the language we use, the way we communicate with self and others) and programming (that happens as a result of the combination of language and neurons). We can grow by enhancing the power of observation and our lingo. Excellence happens when you effectively integrate neuro and the language. Indian Leadership Academy offers courses and training programs on NLP and other self growth, performance improvement subjects.   

Dr Anita from Shatayu Ayurveda Retreat, spoke on the subject "Wellness at Work place". She said that a big challenge today is balancing of personal and professional lives, particularly in the cities. Five out of ten employees have some illness or the other, with the ailments commonly observed being eye syndrome, back ache, head ache, diabetes, hyper tension, joint pains and heart issues. These problems are encountered today even before people reach 50 years of age. It is important to focus on appropriate food, adequate exercise and sleep. One should aim for the perfect mind, body and spirit.

Shatayu has fifteen outlets in Bangalore.that cater to patient's need for detoxification and rejuvenation. Diet therapy, physio therapy. yoga, naturopathy, mud therapy, acupuncture. and the maintenance procedures such as Panchakarma in Ayurveda are adopted to suit  the individual and unique needs of patients.

The next session was on "Psycho metric testing" by Dr Manjunath.S.A. representing Dynaminds consulting pvt Ltd & Allevare academy pvt Ltd. The speaker started out by saying that everyone of us are designed to succeed. Yet, not everyone do. We tend to continue interpreting our life on the basis of or influenced by our prejudices. Psychometric testing is a tool that helps you to go back to the empty state in which you have been designed to succeed.It gives you insights into your strengths and also 'red flags' on which you can work for improvement.

 However, a psychometric test is not an end in itself. It is a guideline that needs to be followed up with training programs. A battery of programs that touch critical life stages for a solution to life challenges is the key.. Dr manjunath said that his organization Dynaminds consulting offers opportunities to understand the art and science of psychometric testing and also for getting trained in it. They also support those interested, to set up their own coaching practice. 

Mr Ramkumar Seshu, Founder Born to Win, a company in the  learning and development space said "It doesn't matter where you come from in life for moving and getting ahead in life."  One Lakh corporate employees and two Lakh school students have benefited from the training interventions of the company that is in operation since 2003. Born to Win  supports clients to make gain in areas such as Productivity, Time Management, Team Building, Goal Clarity and Effective Communication. 
The speaker said that HRDians have a bounden duty to help in making people ready for jobs in the next 5 to 10 years.One thing one cannot buy is motivated employees. Therefore the pessimistic predictions apart, "We, the HR people will be in demand in the next 10 years" he concluded.  

We then had a panel discussion on the topic  "HR in 2030".It was predicted during the discussion that the three driving forces in the future would be (1) Crucial conversations between you and your employees (2) Possessing the skill and the will to engage everyone in the organization given a climate of diversity and BOTS having a much bigger role (3) Retaining our humaneness with a willingness and ability to exhibit empathy. More of analytics as an enabler would be the game changer with employees in  HR  performing high end roles. There would be more happiness coaches,and executive coaches to assist in taking decisions based on numbers. There would be multi generational and multi racial workforce.  

Ms Pham Kim Ngari Founder,MPEEC Group,Vietnam  shared her journey and insights from opening a start up learning center in a small way and steadily growing to a group of centers.She said while starting a venture, it is not important how big you are but how quick you are in responding to the demands of the situation and needs of the customer which will determine success. While other centers had classes only in Vietnamese, she introduced Chinese and English as well in her center adopting a three language formula. This enhanced the appeal of the center. Further, opportunities were provided in the center to develop soft skills. 

Ms Pham said the next step that she took was identifying suitable franchisees with whom she could collaborate in a Win-Win manner. The speaker said she used the internet extensively to zero in on the the suitable prospects. The collaborators were given books worth $5000 and also provided assistance for legally registering their enterprise for imparting education.The speaker reiterated in her concluding remarks that "Speed is of the essence" as many have now copied the model and entered the field. The start advantage that she had gained in the beginning keeps her ahead in the race. 

(Part 1 of the article can be accessed here: https://hrdian.blogspot.com/2019/07/glimpses-from-all-india-hr-and-trainers.html  )https://hrdian.blogspot.com/2019/07/glimpses-from-all-india-hr-and-trainers.html

Glimpses from the Conference- "New Trends in HR and Training Industry- Part 1

In April 2019, I attended a conference organized by Mr M.V.Narasimhan, Founder, National Human Resource Welfare Association (NHRWA) and Mr Kaushik Mahapatra, Founder, Indian Leadership academy at  East West Institute of Technology, Bangalore . The conference attempted to include large number of speakers with short duration talks.A wide range of speakers across industries and countries like Malasia and Vietnam  participated. It was an opportunity for the speakers to showcase their expertise and also throw light on their business.

I  propose to write about this conference in two parts (posts) given the volume of the material discussed and the large number of speakers.  Ms sweta Pundir, Head Talent & acquisition of  United breweries Ltd said that managing one's emotions and understanding other's feelings & emotions is vital in the present times. Human beings are not to be treated as just another resource but dealt with humanely. Your EQ (Emotional intelligence), the ability to perceive your feelings visavis other's feelings is reflected in the way you treat people, right from the time interviews are scheduled. One should be able to understand situations and treat others with respect. A person with high EQ is able to perceive what is going on in the heads of those with whom they interact.

A fresh, bright start to the day is very helpful. Instead of focusing on production or sales figures first thing in the morning, the team can discuss matters such  as ." What is going on in the industry? what are the current priorities of the business partners/ internal customers? HR should take the initiative to develop the EQ of the business partners and colleagues. They should work towards ensuring bigger smiles at work and fewer attrition in the company Getting employees to cultivate a happy demeanor during work should be a priority.

Ms Visitra Amirthalingam from Malaysia  spoke about the challenges of HR and training in her country which is multi racial and multicultural in nature. she highlighted this fact quoting the tourism tag line of the country-  "Malaysia Truly Asia".   Malaysia is also noted as a 'Food Paradise' where you can taste a diversity of delectable food at reasonable prices . The speaker introduced us to some common words associated with food.- A food hang out is called"Mamak" Lepak is chilling time/ pass time when food  naturally occupies prime place and the good old tea is called " Tehtarik". 

Ms Visitra spoke about the various HR professional bodies contributing to the development of human resources in the country such as MIHRM (Malaysian Institute Of Human Resource Management),

HRDF (Human Resources Development Fund), MICG( Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance) and  MDEC (Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation).. Between them they focus on monitoring training programs provided through registered training providers, being vigilant against economic crashes, studying the current trends of HR all over the world and upskilling talent for the digital economy. Presently around 96% of employees use technology in their roles and there is a fear of robots stealing their jobs in future. In a survey 55% of the respondents said they are working at attaining additional skills in technology. 75% of them said they believe that they are likely to be replaced.

Ms Visitra said that the companies in Malaysia are looking to maximize team performance by paying attention to trust, commitment, process, results and communication with the leader being the fulcrum to make it all happen. Instagram videos are increasingly being used to communicate and keep team members updated. For purposes of learning, questions are posed and answered through What's app. A new question will not be entertained until the earlier questions have been satisfactorily answered. Attention is being paid to the processes to make it foolproof right from allocation of work to its completion. There is also a lot of emphasis on leadership development in the country. Towards this end, opportunities are created for wider exchange of ideas and seeking new ideas in an era of globalization.

Choosing Calling with Care, Pursuing it with Passion

The annual day of the National institute of personnel management (NIPM), Karnataka Chapter, is an occasion for members to unwind - to meet, greet and interact in an informal atmosphere along with their  family members. The children of members are felicitated on the occasion for scholastic achievements at the school and college level. The program begins with experience sharing by an invited guest who has made a mark in his/her chosen field or contributed to society at large, and ends with  dinner.

The chief guest for the 59th Annual day celebrations on 22nd June 2019 was Ms D. Roopa Moudgil.IPS, presently, IGP Railways Bangalore. Although she has been in service for around 19 years, I heard about her only recently, when she made news as the DG prisons who stopped special privileges (such as access to private meeting room with a revolving chair and daily visitors) illegally enjoyed by a prisoner Ms Shashikala at the the Parappana Agrahara prison, Bangalore. Ms Roopa also submitted a detailed report with visual evidence to the Government highlighting the issue. 

 It was  when the chief guest's resume was read out during the introduction that I came to know that this 'assertiveness' was second nature to Ms Roopa  and that she has demonstrated it a number of times in her career. In 2004, as Superintendent of Police, Dharwad, she flew in with her team to Bhopal and arrested Ms Uma Bharti, the then CM of  Madhya Pradesh  in connection with a 10-year-old non-bailable criminal case . Ms Uma Bharti was accused of hoisting the national flag at Dharwad’s communally sensitive, Idgah Maidan on Independence day.

 In 2013, as deputy commissioner of police of the City Armed Reserve in Bangalore, she withdrew the unauthorized additional orderlies (115 gunmen from 82 politicians) and escort vehicles deployed for MLAs and MPs, and the former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa. While working in Bidar, she included the name of a ruling party MLA in the  FIR, accusing him of instigating a mob to desecrate an Ambedkar statue for political gains. 

Ms Roopa started her talk with a story. The Japanese love to eat their fish fresh. They were not satisfied with dead fish brought from the deep sea. The traders tried many solutions like use of ice containers, but the customers were not satisfied. Finally they came up with an idea of putting sharks along with the fish that was freshly caught from the sea. It was found that the fish remained alive long after reaching the shores. The speaker left it to the audience to derive suitable moral to the story. One of them could be the value of innovating until the solution /goal is  achieved. Another learning could be "those whom we perceive as enemies, may be unwittingly helping us to be alert,  enabling us to update ourselves and achieve success". Therefore, the speaker advised " Don't be bogged down by competitors or enemies in your life."

In Ms Roopa's own life, in view of her unconventional approach to life and work, she has faced many obstacles such as threats and defamation notices. She has been transferred as many times in a career spanning nineteen years. In her posting as DG Prisons, she survived for barely 17 working days ( transferred within 5 days of her submitting the report on the Parappana Agrahara prison). Here, one is reminded of Mr Ashok Khemka, IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, who has been transferred 52 times in a 27 year career. He shot into limelight when he cancelled the mutation of a land deal between Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra's company, Skylight Hospitality and major real estate developer DLF.  Officers like these are not afraid to act because they neither hanker after cushy postings nor are they afraid of transfers. During her talk Ms Roopa reiterated "When we are in a position to take action we should, irrespective of what others think or whether support is there from others." 

As there were family members comprising of students also in the audience, Ms Roopa spoke about her journey since childhood and  how she chose  police service as her vocation. She said that she was active in the NCC (National cadet corps) during the student days and had also gone to Delhi to participate in the Republic day parade. Thus  there was this pull  and natural attraction for uniform and the civil services. However, the journey was not easy. When you are good in many fields, the challenge is all the more to take appropriate decision with respect to your future. People around try to influence you to pursue the traditional courses such as medicine and engineering.

Ms Roopa was a state rank holder in Class X and XII board examinations. Therefore,  relatives and family friends were shocked when she chose arts for graduation. Clear in her mind, she worked hard to achieve her goal of becoming a civil servant and serving society. Subsequently, after she passed the civil services exam, she was advised to choose IAS over IPS as IPS was held not suitable for women. However, Ms Roopa  was very clear about what she wanted. She opted for the police services and has never looked back. 

It is not as if doubts and setbacks do not come up. As for example,  during the journey,while others seemed set in their lives having chosen professional courses, there was an element of uncertainty in the path  chosen by the speaker. After all. at that point of time, one cannot be hundred percent sure of being selected for the  civil services . At such times, trust in the universe and  confidence in self comes to one's aid. The speaker said that courage is the key for  doing new things and making a mark. Therefore one should not be  bothered about the discouraging people .

 Choose your field with care and clarity and go about it with passion. What can be done, should be done "Now"and not on a later day,when the climate is favourable or you have gained sufficient years of experience. She exhorted the audience to focus on what you have "Now" and make the most of it. As a  parting remark, Ms Roopa had some  advice specifically for the students- "Don't be addicted to the social media. Learning should be like a Tapas (Penance). Work hard and achieve success!"  

The audience had come to experience a relaxed evening. But they got a lot more from a speaker who can be described as a role model for those in leadership positions, to do one's duty without fear or favour. Indeed, here was an evening to cherish for the children and adults alike!

Managing Mind in a Competitive World

The topic for the evening meeting discussion of NIPM, Karnataka Chapter on 17th April 2019 was on the interesting and relevant subject of managing the  mind  particularly in the  turbulent times that we presently live in. The speaker was Swami Bodhananda, Chairman of the Sambodh Society operating in India, North America and Europe. The objective of the foundation is spiritual revival of humankind. It seeks to inculcate values such as respect for all religions, respect for the individual and his/her fundamental rights, respect for nature and harmonious living with a scientific temper.

At the outset, the Speaker said that  India has got a lot to give to the world in the spiritual realm. It does not mean that we have the monopoly of all wisdom in the world. We will teach and we will learn as well, accepting the best practices from anywhere. Today, we are living in a global village with the way of  life in any part of the world, influencing lives in other parts of the world. Managing the mind has become most essential for being effective in any life situation. He gave the example of Lord Vishnu,  the "CEO of the universe". Although he is sleeping on a serpent ( a fearful prospect for ordinary mortals) and responsible for the well being of the entire universe, he is always in a calm, cool and collected, demeanour.

One can manage better when the mind is relaxed. When tensed, you tend to lose grip over the situation. Therefore, being relaxed is the most important lesson. Being relaxed even  under provocation is the key. The provocation these days come from various quarters- work place, family situations, traffic on the road, teenage children, ill health etc. The management task is to be calm and relaxed in all stressful situations. In this connection, we have to learn to not blame self or others. Like Lord Ayyappa riding a tiger with a smile, a leader should have the quality of calmly managing all circumstances without complaining. After all, a leader has been positioned to handle uncertainties and make things happen without giving excuses. Taking new challenges and promptly responding to situations, becomes possible when the mind is calm and quiet. Today, AI may be available in a big way for gathering data but the ultimate decision will have to be made by the human mind.

The traffic of the mind involves processing a thought or sensation, applying the individual's own values and responding to it. How you respond to something depends on this process. As for example, one person, based on his belief system, would accept the Ganga Jal ( Water of river Ganga)) as sacred and consume it with devotion for attaining Moksha, while another may look at it as polluted water ."You are nothing but your mind." Yet,deep down, we are all pure consciousness. In the work situation, for effectively motivating people, the key is to make people aware of this fact. When this is done, work is not merely a means of earning one's bread but something that is pivotal to one's very being.

When the employee is made aware that "he is the field of infinite possibilities" and that he is a spirit deep down and not just the body/ mind/emotions or a pair of hands, the idea of ownership and belongingness automatically happens. When the employee is thus engaged, although the company benefits, the bigger benefit is for the individual himself. Thus it is not salary raise and other benefits alone  that motivate employees.The time and effort spent in explaining to the employee the vital role of  work in his happiness and well being is very important. 

Three major problems faced by human beings today are stress, anxiety and anger. In view of the  inability to handle stress, everybody seems to be afflicted by the passion of anger. Pollution, adulterated food etc are also causes of stress. The process of battling the big three has resulted in strained relationships. " You don't understand me" says the wife to husband while husband says the same to her. Nobody is prepared to listen patiently. They are preoccupied with themselves. Operating in a very complex, data driven world with people having become more aspirational has added to the problem.  The dysfunction of the mind which is the instrument for dealing with the world has been the biggest problem.

In the modern times we also have to grapple with situations such as jobless growth and carbon intensive growth. In  the situation of  jobless growth, unemployment remains stubbornly high even as the economy grows. This happens when a relatively large number of people have lost their jobs, and the ensuing recovery is insufficient to absorb the unemployed, under-employed, and those entering the work force for the first time.Problem of carbon intensive growth is encountered when Economic growth leads to greatly increased concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the resultant impact on the global climate.

For managing the mind in a competitive world, the employees need to be told that "We are all fields of infinite possibilities. We are responsible for our own happiness and success." This message is in stark contrast to the general tendency of people to blame others for all their problems. Taking responsibility for one's own well being, is cardinal. We come across many disruptions in life, some of which are not under our control. However, when the mind is relaxed we are able to deal with them -  able to go deep into oneself and come out with solutions. In this connection, HR needs to think 'outside the box' and guide people about managing the complexity by calmness.

Swami Bodhananda suggested changes in life style including in the food that we eat, change in the breathing style ( breathing from the abdomen instead of chest) and giving a break after every three hours to the employees during which time they can engage in relaxation, deep breathing and prayers. It would be good if they have a big picture of the company and life rather than worry about the small stuff. Working together as a team is another important requirement and also a challenge. Humility is very important to be able to work in a team.

One should be able to respect another, irrespective of his competence on the job. The speaker concluded that "Real HR" is contributing to all these aspects. The focus of HR  should be on implementing native Indian concepts, for the effectiveness of our native work force. Listening to the speaker, I was reminded of the practices in Ace Manufacturing Systems Bangalore that I had shared in my blog " Quiet Best Practices". Readers may like to read about it  here.( https://hrdian.blogspot.com/2018/10/quiet-best-practices.html ).

One cannot dispute the core of what the Swamiji discussed viz. about the need to be calm and relaxed when approaching a problem or taking decisions. His suggestion to delve into the Eastern thought for solutions instead of blindly aping Western models makes sense.Yet, the fact remains that the industry does not have the time or inclination to consider this option busy as people are, doing "Business at the speed of thought." Everything has to be done in haste so as to appear efficient and it is the person who appears very busy, seemingly working long hours who is held 'valuable' to the organization. The management education in the country is based on the Western model and concepts. 

There is hardly any literature about the "How" of implementing the Eastern thought in an industry. Now and then we listen to a Swamiji or a speaker who quotes from the Gita, Ramayana or Mahabharata, nod our heads in agreement and go back to practising the Western approach in which most of us are trained in the first place. How many Allopathic doctors are willing to acknowledge that Ayurveda also has its place in healing? (one objection would be that it is not backed by scientific research). How many CEO s of Indian companies believe that a calm, relaxed mind is paramount and that focusing on this will automatically take care of bottom line, top line or Ebitda?   

At one time, I was excited by the prospect of introducing Eastern thought in management. I had procured two books published by the Allahabad management association one each based on Ramayana and Mahabharata. I also went to listen to talks of Mr Subhash Sharma in the late nineties ( subsequently he published the book "Management in New Age:Western Windows Eastern Doors" in 2006) in which he talked about using more of Eastern thought assimilating it with the Western. The problem with these exercises is that they focus on the 'what', providing theoretical models rather than on 'How' in practical terms.Perhaps this can be worked out only by the practitioners in the industry themselves. 

   

To my mind, we have had plenty of Gyan (Knowledge) from various quarters.Time has come for us HRDians to work out for ourselves as to how to implement the knowledge. First of all, we need to ask ourselves "Do we really believe this is important?" If so, what practical steps can we take to implement it. While having tea before the meeting, I met a gentleman Mr sadasivam who said that a topic like this is very important and that a discussion on it requires at least half a day. He also opined that that on a week day, it is difficult for members working in the outskirts of the city to make it to the venue and therefore the meeting should be on a Saturday.

   

I feel that half a day may not be required for normal meetings. However, NIPM and NHRD (HR Professional bodies) would do well to organize brain storming sessions of half day duration on a Saturday dedicated to eliciting  simple, straight forward, actionable points, on matters important to the profession and develop a model for implementation. It could be on the topic we have discussed above or other matters such as " What can be done to enhance the esteem of the  HR role in the company, particularly with reference to our internal customers?", "Practical ways for enhancing work place wellness" etc. Till such time we  discuss  practical implementation aspects and implement some of them , we will continue to applaud " the great ideas" in a meeting and go back to doing what "we have always done".

When we continue to do the same things,we will continue to get the same results!

The Psychology of Pay

The discussion in the monthly evening meeting of NHRD Bangalore on the topic " Psychology of Pay" organized on 28th March 2019 was led by Mr Arvind Usretay, Director Talent and Rewards, Willis Towers Watson and his colleague Jude Vijay. The one take away from the discussion that reverberated whole through the evening was that perceptions of people differ and therefore no pay concept fits all. Some are more interested in short term immediate gratification while others are interested in long term benefits such as pension. In between, there are those who would like to pick from a basket, different aspects of the benefits that matter to them (Basic pay, variable pay, pensions, executive pay etc).

Pay and rewards have an emotional component. Individual preferences are dynamic and varied. Different approaches are required for various elements of pay.Deferred reward implies sacrificing immediate compensation for a future reward. People react differently to a disappointment in a pay rise which is influenced by individual mindset and perception about the situation or event  . As for example someone may become so upset that he may put in his papers while another person may take it as a challenge and work harder till his goal of the expected pay is attained. Today, employers are willing to be flexible and are open to customization of pay to the individual needs of employees. Ideally two or three choices can be given for a particular section of benefit. It may not be a good idea to give too many choices which could confuse the employee and may not at the end meet the needs of what he/she really wants.

The speaker said that differing needs of employees have more to do with differences in the personality and approach to life rather than economic differences. He said that a country head of a multinational company told him that those earning $10,000 and $100000 have similar approach and worries concerning money. Arvind said that there is a tendency to discount the value of compensation that is deferred, although it also has its place in the 'psychology of pay'. However to a question from the audience about the preferences of the the millennial generation, he admitted that they are clear about wanting high pay and was not concerned much about the future.

During the question answer session one question raised  was " Does not money lose its significance beyond a point? Are not people more interested in aspects such as Flexi time rather than pay?" . The answer was interesting and in line with the tone and tenor of the discussion throughout the evening-
 "Well, it differs from person to person. you need to meet with people. find out what is important to him/her and seek to fulfill individual needs".

Thus it is all about making available higher flexibility to the employees and having an integrated total rewards strategy consisting of pay, benefits, career and well being. According to the Willis Towers Watson findings, the five areas critical to meeting employees' total reward expectations and delivering a consumer grade experience are (1) Understand what employees value (2) Consider employee well being, a top priority (3) Make effective use of technology (4) Measure cost and impact of programs and (5) Prioritize fairness, purpose driven benefits and I &D. This would involve improving technology solutions, more personalized and transparent communication and higher flexibility to employees with a focus on more measurement of ROI.

After all,  perceptions differ and no pay concept fits all!

From the Notes of Yester years- 6 - Key tips for Effective Living

I delved into my notes from the past in order to share some interesting and useful  tips for effectiveness at work and in our personal lives. Unfortunately I had not noted down the source of the information - could be a book or a talk I attended.

• Zero in on 20% of important activities and work on them. Let go of the less important (80%) activities or reduce time spent on them.
• Give your focus on finding solutions- spend an hour instead of one whole day to solve a problem. If the problem is more complex, spend only one day on its solution instead of a whole week.
• Practice 'Batching' of boring routine tasks.
• Give respect, love, kindness, opportunities and be open to receiving them.
• Be the first to take practical action and get the ball rolling.
• Mistakes are okay and sometimes good when it provides learning so don't dwell on them. People have their own challenges and lives to worry about, instead of dwelling on yours.
• Don't beat yourself up-It is a waste of time that can be better utilized constructively.
• Assume rapport- when you meet people pretend you are meeting one of your best friends, and start interacting. 
• Focus on what you want, not on what you don't want and keep that focus steady. Set goals and review them frequently to keep your focus on what is important. Use external props to remind you of this in the form of a slips stuck to the fridge or bathroom mirror. 
• Your attitude changes your reality- when you change your attitude, you change what you focus on.
• Gratitude is a simple way to make you feel happy. spend a few minutes feeling grateful for the things you already have. It turns negative mood to happy one and these emotions are contagious.
• Don't compare yourself to others. It is better to compare where you were and where you are now to understand your growth and improvement. 
• 80-90% of what you fear will happen, never come into reality.
• Don't take things too seriously. It only results in unnecessary suffering.So do not take seriously either yourself, your thoughts or your emotions. 
• Write everything down- Many good/great ideas get lost if not written down. It also helps to keep focus.
• Be always in awareness- There are opportunities in just about every experience.