In the past few days news channels have been busy reporting landmark events prompting ardent followers to break into a song and dance routine or hallelujah! Two events have primarily been the catalysts for such reactions. A, Barack Obama winning the presidential election and becoming the first ever African American to get to the finishing line with such élan. B, a relatively unfamiliar team of Indian cast and Hollywood technicians who joined together for an Indian, no- Indo-American, no- a major movie project that won several honours – the Slumdog Millionaire team.
I just saw Obama finish his first presidential address about all the great things that the USA has on its to-do list. It sounded grand. It sounded inspiring. It sounded very much like the story of an underdog who goes on to clinch the top award. Being much of an opponent gone unnoticed in the beginning, Barack Obama’s words about the change required in the world hit everybody in the face, much like Dick Cheney’s infamous shot. But it was not just the words. He exuded a quiet strength and confidence that was infectious and almost absent till he came on to the scene. The intriguing part of all this milieu is that people who do not even belong to the US of A have become a part of the follower mice that Obama’s piper has influenced. Though there is a portion of cynics who still believe that his ostentatious ideas don’t translate into quantifiable results, the 2 million plus people who turned up at the Capitol Hill from around the country, in icy cold weather to be part of what is now referred to as the ‘making of history’, is a reflection of how desperately expectant the world is for the ‘history’ to turn a reality.
In many ways, the success of the recently Golden Globed film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ runs close, if not parallel, to the Obama success story. A non-Indian filmmaker sneaks into a crowded city like Mumbai and paints out the story of a slum dweller who wins the title because his life has taught him the answers to the questions that would be asked in a game show. Now this movie has graphic scenes of slums, slum dwellers, mafia and umpteen other factors that would make a Mumbaite squirm and shift uneasily in a plush theatre seat. I for one can vouch for it. But the story of hope and success has indeed brought the same for the movie and to all those associated with it. Hollywood has been introduced to the Maximum city through the eyes of one of its tribe. Despite all the adulation and glory, the movie has sparked debates upon debates if the subject is poverty porn? (Wow! I did not know that term before) Is it necessary to show the dirty side of the country, let alone the city? And so on. It is almost like right after the applause for a grand performance, one is trying to pull out the wig of an opera singer for being too ragged! It still seems like it would not puncture the soul aim of the movie, for it is too strong in the portrayal of characters that make up a masterpiece.
Confidence and attitude of a person or a multi cultural team can go a long way in nailing ground-breaking steps on the way. Much like the Il Divo concept. Much like what is most needed today.
Divya Rao
January 21, 2009
Mumbai
January 21, 2009
January 19, 2009
Run! It’s Chronic Delegation Syndrome!
Management is an extremely useful application. Be it Peter Drucker’s theory or Henry Fayol’s 14 principles, one finds its application in one or the other way in daily business dealings. When time and work principles were formulated, it was only out of necessity, though now bosses ensure they use this completely to keep a check on wavering employees, usually trying to discover a crack code to use a new video game or download a website which offers chat options which are blocked in the office! But most of all, one important give away from the great science of Management, is the art of Delegation.
Delegation in simple words is passing on authority, to a junior from the same line, to complete a certain work. It is an important part of working and makes operations easier and quick. But right after the definition was out, people started twisting it around like a rubber tube. Some of the more intelligent business species have led their entire career on this principle. The condition may be termed Chronic Delegation. Some of the simple signs of a chronic delegator are:
· They are in the managerial level or above and generally have at least 5 people reporting to them, and all 5 are usually busy with something that has been asked by their boss.
· The organisation structure is invisible to perpetual and chronic delegators. In many cases, work is delegated across the line in a zig zag manner that can make a matrix organization blush
· The chronic delegator is a restless creature. He / she is forever blackberrying the delegatee on the status of a job whose deadline is 3 weeks away. But, what’s intriguing about this species is that when the delegatee wants information or clarification, the delegator goes missing mysteriously and emails are always replied with an “Out of Office” message. Go figure!
· You’d find the delegatee usually working on projects that have been given by the chronic delegator. Ask the delegatee about “personal initiatives” and it might take the green horn a long time to understand the word.
The person who usually hives off responsibility also has certain discernible traits that are unique to the species. He/ she:
· Works in a cabin for a very short time but comes out to hover around the cubicles of those to whom he has probably asked to find out the origin of ASAP
· Hobnobs with the super boss and family; and presents what the green horn had submitted as a project a week ago
· Keeps asking the same questions a million times
· Makes a million changes in a day on a report, repeating a previously striked out option
· Acts in the same manner like the time when one feels like detaching his oily hand and asking a more than willing room mate to wash it and get it back while he watches ESPN.
· Fails to understand the words “I don’t work for you” when told by a junior from the other department, and gives a forlorn look in the hope of getting a breakthrough.
Many times the chronic delegator is unaware of his/ her condition and may completely disagree when confronted with the reports. What is totally comprehensible for him would be an arrogant marketing guy volunteering to take up a CSR project for no incentive. In many ways, it reminds me of the initial stages of schizophrenia. God help!
Divya Rao
January 18, 2009
Mumbai
Delegation in simple words is passing on authority, to a junior from the same line, to complete a certain work. It is an important part of working and makes operations easier and quick. But right after the definition was out, people started twisting it around like a rubber tube. Some of the more intelligent business species have led their entire career on this principle. The condition may be termed Chronic Delegation. Some of the simple signs of a chronic delegator are:
· They are in the managerial level or above and generally have at least 5 people reporting to them, and all 5 are usually busy with something that has been asked by their boss.
· The organisation structure is invisible to perpetual and chronic delegators. In many cases, work is delegated across the line in a zig zag manner that can make a matrix organization blush
· The chronic delegator is a restless creature. He / she is forever blackberrying the delegatee on the status of a job whose deadline is 3 weeks away. But, what’s intriguing about this species is that when the delegatee wants information or clarification, the delegator goes missing mysteriously and emails are always replied with an “Out of Office” message. Go figure!
· You’d find the delegatee usually working on projects that have been given by the chronic delegator. Ask the delegatee about “personal initiatives” and it might take the green horn a long time to understand the word.
The person who usually hives off responsibility also has certain discernible traits that are unique to the species. He/ she:
· Works in a cabin for a very short time but comes out to hover around the cubicles of those to whom he has probably asked to find out the origin of ASAP
· Hobnobs with the super boss and family; and presents what the green horn had submitted as a project a week ago
· Keeps asking the same questions a million times
· Makes a million changes in a day on a report, repeating a previously striked out option
· Acts in the same manner like the time when one feels like detaching his oily hand and asking a more than willing room mate to wash it and get it back while he watches ESPN.
· Fails to understand the words “I don’t work for you” when told by a junior from the other department, and gives a forlorn look in the hope of getting a breakthrough.
Many times the chronic delegator is unaware of his/ her condition and may completely disagree when confronted with the reports. What is totally comprehensible for him would be an arrogant marketing guy volunteering to take up a CSR project for no incentive. In many ways, it reminds me of the initial stages of schizophrenia. God help!
Divya Rao
January 18, 2009
Mumbai
January 14, 2009
Colors of dusk
Lines of light fade into greys,
A distant muezzin calls the evening.
Forgetting all diktats of mores,
A young soul prays-
asking for another bright sunny day,
where all those hidden appear with ease.
The horizon turns into a distant scarlet,
Watered up by a straight tangent of a forthright evening;
Settling breezy winds into vacant closets,
Of green foliage and a maid's toussled hair.
Changing soon to deep indigo,
The sky's bedecked as a princess of yore,
But the dark mood is intoxicating for niceties,
With some more heartbeats still to spare.
For daybreak is a speck, distant and away;
From all the excitement of an evening
Of moods and colors, spread and sway
Play along- sometimes a saunter, sometimes a shimmy!
Divya Rao
January 14, 2009
Mumbai
A distant muezzin calls the evening.
Forgetting all diktats of mores,
A young soul prays-
asking for another bright sunny day,
where all those hidden appear with ease.
The horizon turns into a distant scarlet,
Watered up by a straight tangent of a forthright evening;
Settling breezy winds into vacant closets,
Of green foliage and a maid's toussled hair.
Changing soon to deep indigo,
The sky's bedecked as a princess of yore,
But the dark mood is intoxicating for niceties,
With some more heartbeats still to spare.
For daybreak is a speck, distant and away;
From all the excitement of an evening
Of moods and colors, spread and sway
Play along- sometimes a saunter, sometimes a shimmy!
Divya Rao
January 14, 2009
Mumbai
January 10, 2009
What plans for the big day?
It is past midnight. At this time, one may find a dork pouring over an assignment that had to be completed yesterday, or a group of biking revellers vrooming their machines through the Marine Drive, or a middle aged couple deep asleep, with the home maker dreaming all that has to go into the soup for her husband for breakfast!
I, for one, just received best wishes for the day marking the passage of an entire year in my life. It is funny because one feels like a birthday wish is like a boot camp colonel’s rap on the brain hoarsely saying, ‘Another year up!’ making it feel like it has been in a coma for nearly a year!
A common question that is asked of the person about to slip into oblivion before the clock strikes 12 is “What are your plans for tomorrow?” Wow, how concerned and considerate of the prying eyes and loitering mind! Now, I am not one of those eccentric cynics who are too woven in untying the DNA structure to remember their own birthday. But somehow, it seems like an unfair question to ask this to a person who does not fall under the category of everybody-knows-and-celebrates-my-b’day. Such people somehow are often reminded, many times bombardingly so, that their birthday is up and they are required to make a wishlist so that some rich daddy, just out of rehab or prison or both, can dole out a bunch of goodies and make a donation to the charity organisation. Oh and it is celebration alright! From the overpainted clowns to the puppets, and from the ballerinas to rock star gigs, they bring the studio ceiling down.
Another of the species is the ever-important political hero who has done something big in his life that has made his/ her name significant enough to be given to a street or a memorial or at least and alley. Now most of these leaders may be long gone, but somehow it is tad difficult for those living to let their memories be fresh in the minds. The super powerful mike holder considers it a sacrosanct duty to talk for god-knows-how-long about the posthumous leader’s life, good deeds and bad deeds but somehow it all sums up to convey that it was all for the progress. Touché. Now, one advantage these late leaders have is that they are not obliged to share their birthday plans with every other person on the block. However, the same cannot be held true for the mike holders and flag hoisters!
I could go on, but I think the point is clear. A Simple Sam or a Watercooler Wendy does not walk up to you and ask your birthday plans for recording in a logbook or documenting as vital Human Resource information. In fact, all these askers should take a leaf out of the chat applications – they should send a prior request to ask the question, which can be sent only when the birthday boy or girl has adequate plans to flaunt.
Till then I hope I don’t hear the words ‘what plans for the big day?’
Divya Rao
January 10, 2009
Mumbai
I, for one, just received best wishes for the day marking the passage of an entire year in my life. It is funny because one feels like a birthday wish is like a boot camp colonel’s rap on the brain hoarsely saying, ‘Another year up!’ making it feel like it has been in a coma for nearly a year!
A common question that is asked of the person about to slip into oblivion before the clock strikes 12 is “What are your plans for tomorrow?” Wow, how concerned and considerate of the prying eyes and loitering mind! Now, I am not one of those eccentric cynics who are too woven in untying the DNA structure to remember their own birthday. But somehow, it seems like an unfair question to ask this to a person who does not fall under the category of everybody-knows-and-celebrates-my-b’day. Such people somehow are often reminded, many times bombardingly so, that their birthday is up and they are required to make a wishlist so that some rich daddy, just out of rehab or prison or both, can dole out a bunch of goodies and make a donation to the charity organisation. Oh and it is celebration alright! From the overpainted clowns to the puppets, and from the ballerinas to rock star gigs, they bring the studio ceiling down.
Another of the species is the ever-important political hero who has done something big in his life that has made his/ her name significant enough to be given to a street or a memorial or at least and alley. Now most of these leaders may be long gone, but somehow it is tad difficult for those living to let their memories be fresh in the minds. The super powerful mike holder considers it a sacrosanct duty to talk for god-knows-how-long about the posthumous leader’s life, good deeds and bad deeds but somehow it all sums up to convey that it was all for the progress. Touché. Now, one advantage these late leaders have is that they are not obliged to share their birthday plans with every other person on the block. However, the same cannot be held true for the mike holders and flag hoisters!
I could go on, but I think the point is clear. A Simple Sam or a Watercooler Wendy does not walk up to you and ask your birthday plans for recording in a logbook or documenting as vital Human Resource information. In fact, all these askers should take a leaf out of the chat applications – they should send a prior request to ask the question, which can be sent only when the birthday boy or girl has adequate plans to flaunt.
Till then I hope I don’t hear the words ‘what plans for the big day?’
Divya Rao
January 10, 2009
Mumbai
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