Adopting to New Environment

Adopting to a new environment is going to be a challenge and it is going to be new to you. The way change happens and is led will different to the world you are used to . How different ?

Adopting quickly

To be able to lead in new world will mean understanding things you have taken for granted all over again. To gain credibility you will need to understand the new context, the issues, the sources of power and the pitfalls. To be able to do this will require moving into new environments more frequently, looking for how things work and not assuming they will follow the same old rules.

Asking right questions

The ability to ask the right questions comes to the forefront, as it becomes a more valuable asset than knowing the right answers. A leader becomes known for the speed in which they can come to terms with the new rules and start relating to the situation, not the speed in which they can impose a pre-made solution.

Building credibility in a new environment is described by Lord Puttnam, President of UNICEF and advisor to the department of education. " As an Advisor, I visited more schools than anyone else. I remember hearing an interview with Paula Radcliffe, the long distance runner. She said there were all kinds of clever training techniques but that, in the end, the fundamental issue was how many miles a week you do" is what matters.

More understanding

1. Be wondering how to cope with challenges to your legitimacy or how you can acclimatize to this new world.
2. Be considering whether to take a stand on an issue and what it will feel like if you do.
3. Be operating in new and different environment and it feel lonely
4. Be a newly promoted leader and are finding it difficult or different to operate at this level
5. Be struggling to understand whether leading beyond your authority is really very different to what you currently do.

R.Ramakrishnan

31st Aug 08

The ABC of handshakes

People often underestimate the power of a simple handshake. But this simple gesture can go a long way in communicating what just words or other action may not.

Handshakes are universal physical greetings that accompany the verbal exchange of pleasantries. In today's business world, the handshake has emerged as the only physical contact betweent professionals. We often evalute people through non-verbal and handshake reveals a great deal about their inner traits, personality, feelings and levels of motivation. A well executed handshake is a critical component in creating a great first impression.

You shake hands when :

• Introduced to a person
• Entering a meeting/boardroom
• Congratulating a business associate
• Inking a business deal or at the end of negotiation
• Departing after business meeting / at a networking event/ social gathering
• Offering condolence

Power points on Handshakes:

• Always handshake with the right hand
• Extend your hand with the thumb up and fingers out, as it helps the other person connect better with your hand
• Web-to web : A well executed handshake is one where you connect with the person's web ( the area between the thumband the index finger)
• Shake from the elbow, moving the shoulder muscle makes the handshake too firm and moving the wrist muscles make it too dainty
• Although dependent on the culture, two smooth pumps has emerged as the universally accepted handshake.
• Maintain shoulder -to-shoulder stance as it projects confidence and conveys positive body language.
• Offer a dry hand, as we associate clammy hands with nervousness and anxirty, all negatives in the business arena.
• Shake hands with everyone- there exists no hierarchy when shaking hands in business.
• Be mindful if someone has a disability, and especially older women and men. Wait until they offer their hand .

Across the World :

• Australia/Canada/USA- Firm grip and two smooth strokes. In the US, it can sometime extend to three strokes
• China/Japan- Light grip, three to four gentle stokes
• Indonesia- Nodding, accompanied with the handshake
• Middle east- Limp and lingering, slight up and down movement with plent of eye contact, accompanied with the traditional verbal greeting
• Hong Kong: Less firm than its western counterparts. Socially older persons before younger and women before men
• Singapore: soft, light touch
• Philippines-US style handshake accompanied by a pat on the back

Globally , business has become gender neutral. Anyone who offers their hand first, man or woman, has an advantage. A quick handshake helps to eliminate the initial hesitation, a common fear that grips most people in the first few seconds of meeting a new person

R.Ramakrishnan

26th Aug 2008

Source of Power in Leadership

Our ability to effect change is greatly influenced by our recognition of different kinds of power, how we use it and where we get it from. When leading within our authority we often draw a log of our power from our position, our professional training or the expertise and experience we have gained in our career. Moving into a Leadership role where our specialist knowledge and position may not count for the same, we need to understand where our power and influence comes from, and find other sources of authority.

It's not that power is different when you lead within and beyond your authority but, if you are leading beyond your authority, different sources of power work to different degrees.

Some of the sources of power are

1. 
   
   The power of position : This comes with the position you hold, that you were appointed or elected to, or that you have created for yourself. A leader is less likely to be able to call upon their position when Leading change and will have less access to the resources and authority that comes with it.


2. 
   
   The Power of Personality: This comes from your strength of character, your energy you generate around you because of who you are as a person.


3. 
   
   The Power of ideas: This is acquired through the quality of your ideas, your creativity. Leading change requires leaders to deal with greater complexity and uncertainty. In doing so, much of their power will come from the ability to generate new ideas and ability to connect with diverse groups of people.


4. 
   
   The power to communicate: This is your ability to get across an idea or message in a way which resonates with people, both individually and in groups. For example, communication will become increasingly important when people are not obliged to work with or for you. The need to be able to communicate a clear direction, listen to many and varied people and be able to resonate with people will allow a leader to build greater support.


5. 
   
   The power to connect: This is the power you gain if you able to see connections and overlaps and use your networks to bring all the pieces together.


6. 
   
   The power to reward: This comes from your ability to reward people financially or through recognition. Part of this power is also the freedom to remove people from situations where they are not succeeding.

Most people have had to draw on different source of power throughout their life. Some may have in family situations, when on committees, organizing social or charity events or just influencing friends. However recognizing them and using them more consciously can be quite a challenge.

R.Ramakrishnan

22nd Aug 2008

Brahmin

No one is a Brahmin by birth. At birth all are one and the same.

1) The day 'upanayana' is conducted then he is known as 'dwijan' (twice born).

2) By repeated chanting of the Gayathri when one earns 'tejas'(brilliance) he is known as 'Vipran'.

3) He is known as 'Shastri' with the deep practice of the shastras.

4) After learning the Vedas if he conducts yagna he is then known as 'Srowthi'.

5) After being initiated into a 'Mantra' if he does japa (repeated chanting) of the 'mantra' and the darshan of the god or the goddess of the particular 'Mantra' is had, he is then known as 'Rishi'.

6) He is known as 'Muni' if he controls his mind and does enquiry of the Self.

Kanakadhara Stotra - Sloka & Meaning

Introduction

Adi Sankara was possibly one of the great saints of his time.He was born in a poor Brahmin family in Kerala. After brahmopadesa, as is usual during those times, he was asked to beg alms for his lunch. One day when he went to a Brahmin house, the lady of the house was so poor that she did not have anything to give him. She searched hard and found one small fruit of gooseberry, which she gave to Sankara the boy. He was so touched by her gesture that he sang these 20 mellifluous hymns on Goddess Lakshmi, who poured golden goose berries as rain to the poor woman’s house. Even today it is believed that poverty would be banished by singing this hymn. The house this happened still exisits in Kaladi.

1) Angam hare pulaka bhooshanamasrayanthi,Bhringanga neva mukulabharanam thamalam,Angikrithakhila vibhuthirapanga leela,Mangalyadasthu mama mangala devathaya.

Meaning

To the Hari who wears supreme happiness as Ornament,The Goddess Lakshmi is attracted,Like the black bees getting attracted,To the unopened buds of black Tamala tree,Let her who is the Goddess of all good things,Grant me a glance that will bring prosperity.

2) Mugdha muhurvidhadhadathi vadhane Murare,Premathrapapranihithani gathagathani,Mala dhrishotmadhukareeva maheth pale ya,Sa ne sriyam dhisathu sagarasambhavaya.

Meaning

Again and again return ,those glances,Filled with hesitation and love,Of her who is born to the ocean of milk,To the face of Murari,Like the honey bees to the pretty blue lotus,And let those glances shower me with wealth.

3) Ameelithaksha madhigamya mudha MukundamAnandakandamanimeshamananga thanthram,Akekara stiththa kaninika pashma nethram,Bhoothyai bhavenmama bhjangasayananganaya.

Meaning

With half closed eyes stares she on Mukunda,Filled with happiness , shyness and the science of love,On the ecstasy filled face with closed eyes of her Lord,And let her , who is the wife of Him who sleeps on the snake,Shower me with wealth.

4) Bahwanthare madhujitha srithakausthube ya,Haravaleeva nari neela mayi vibhathi,Kamapradha bhagavatho api kadaksha mala,Kalyanamavahathu me kamalalayaya

Meaning

He who has won over Madhu,Wears the Kousthuba as ornament,And also the garland of glances, of blue Indraneela,Filled with love to protect and grant wishes to Him,Of her who lives on the lotus,And let those also fall on me,And grant me all that is good..

5) Kalambudhaalithorasi kaida bhare,Dharaadhare sphurathi yaa thadinganeva,Mathu samastha jagatham mahaneeya murthy,Badrani me dhisathu bhargava nandanaya

Meaning

Like the streak of lightning in black dark cloud,She is shining on the dark , broad chest,Of He who killed Kaidaba,And let the eyes of the great mother of all universe,Who is the daughter of Sage Bharghava,Fallon me lightly and bring me prosperity.

6) Praptham padam pradhamatha khalu yat prabhavath,Mangalyabhaji madhu madhini manamathena,Mayyapadetha mathara meekshanardham,Manthalasam cha makaralaya kanyakaya.

Meaning

The God of love could only reach ,The killer of Madhu,Through the power of her kind glances,Loaded with love and blessing And let that side glance ,Which is auspicious and indolent,Fall on me.

7) Viswamarendra padhavee bramadhana dhaksham,Ananda hethu radhikam madhu vishwoapi,Eshanna sheedhathu mayi kshanameekshanartham,Indhivarodhara sahodharamidhiraya

Meaning

Capable of making one as king of Devas in this world,Her side long glance of a moment,Made Indra regain his kingdom,And is making Him who killed Madhu supremely happy.And let her with her blue lotus eyes glance me a little.

8) Ishta visishtamathayopi yaya dhayardhra,Dhrishtya thravishta papadam sulabham labhanthe,Hrishtim prahrushta kamlodhara deepthirishtam,Pushtim krishishta mama pushkravishtaraya.

Meaning

To her devotees and those who are great,Grants she a place in heaven which is difficult to attain,Just by a glance of her compassion filled eyes,Let her sparkling eyes which are like the fully opened lotus,Fall on me and grant me all my desires.

9) Dhadyaddhayanupavanopi dravinambhudaraam,Asminna kinchina vihanga sisou vishanne,Dhushkaramagarmmapaneeya chiraya dhooram,Narayana pranayinee nayanambhuvaha.

Meaning

Please send your mercy which is like wind,And shower the rain of wealth on this parched land,,And quench the thirst of this little chataka bird,And likewise ,drive away afar my load of sins,Oh, darling of Narayana,By the glance from your cloud like dark eyes.

10) Gheerdhevathethi garuda dwaja sundarithi,Sakambhareethi sasi shekara vallebhethi,Srishti sthithi pralaya kelishu samsthitha ya,Thasyai namas thribhvanai ka guros tharunyai.

Meaning

She is the goddess of Knowledge,She is the darling of Him who has Garuda as flag,She is the power that causes of death at time of deluge,And she is the wife of Him who has the crescent,And she does the creation , upkeep and destruction at various times,And my salutations to this lady who is worshipped by all the three worlds.

11) Sruthyai namosthu shubha karma phala prasoothyai,Rathyai namosthu ramaneeya gunarnavayai,Shakthyai namosthu satha pathra nikethanayai,Pushtayi namosthu purushotthama vallabhayai.

Meaning

Salutations to you as Vedas which give rise to good actions,Salutation to you as Rathi for giving the most beautiful qualities,Salutation to you as Shakthi ,who lives in the hundred petalled lotus,And salutations to you who is Goddess of plenty,And is the consort of Purushottama.

12) Namosthu naleekha nibhananai,Namosthu dhugdhogdhadhi janma bhoomayai,Namosthu somamrutha sodharayai,Namosthu narayana vallabhayai.

Meaning

Salutations to her who is as pretty.As the lotus in full bloom,Salutations to her who is born from ocean of milk,Salutations to the sister of nectar and the moon,Salutations to the consort of Narayana.

13) Namosthu hemambhuja peetikayai,Namosthu bhoo mandala nayikayai,Namosthu devathi dhaya prayai,Namosthu Sarngayudha vallabhayai.

Meaning

Salutations to her who has the golden lotus as seat,Salutations to her who is the leader of the universe,Salutations to her who showers mercy on devas,And salutations to the consort of Him who has the bow called Saranga.

14) Namosthu devyai bhrugu nandanayai,Namosthu vishnorurasi sthithayai,Namosthu lakshmyai kamalalayai,Namosthu dhamodhra vallabhayai.

Meaning

Salutations to her who is daughter of Bhrigu,Salutations to her lives on the holy chest of Vishnu,Salutations to Goddess Lakshmi who lives in a lotus,And saluations to her who is the consort of Damodhara.

15) Namosthu Kanthyai kamalekshanayai,Namosthu bhoothyai bhuvanaprasoothyai,Namosthu devadhibhir archithayai,Namosthu nandhathmaja vallabhayai.

Meaning

Salutations to her who is light living in Lotus flower,Salutations to her who is the earth and also mother of earth,Salutations to her who is worshipped by Devas,And salutations to her who is the consort of the son of Nanda.

16) Sampath karaani sakalendriya nandanani,Samrajya dhana vibhavani saroruhakshi,Twad vandanani dhuritha haranodhythani,Mamev matharanisam kalayanthu manye.

Meaning

Giver of wealth, giver of pleasures to all senses,Giver of the right to rule kingdoms,She who has lotus like eyes,She to whom Salutations remove all miseries fast,And my mother to you are my salutations.

17) Yath Kadaksha samupasana vidhi,Sevakasya sakalartha sapadha,Santhanodhi vachananga manasai,Twaam murari hridayeswareem bhaje

Meaning

He who worships your sidelong glances,Is blessed by all known wealth and prosperity,And so my salutations by word, thought and deed,To the queen of the heart of my Lord Murari.

18) Sarasija nilaye saroja hasthe,Dhavalathamamsuka gandha maya shobhe,Bhagavathi hari vallabhe manogne,Tribhuvana bhoothikari praseeda mahye

Meaning

She who sits on the Lotus,She who has lotus in her hands,She who is dressed in dazzling white,She who shines in garlands and sandal paste,The Goddess who is the consort of Hari,She who gladdens the mind,And she who confers prosperity on the three worlds,Be pleased to show compassion to me.

19) Dhiggasthibhi kanaka kumbha mukha vasrushta,Sarvahini vimala charu jalaapluthangim,Prathar namami jagathaam janani masesha,Lokadhinatha grahini mamrithabhi puthreem.

Meaning

Those eight elephants from all the diverse directions,Pour from out from golden vessels,The water from the Ganga which flows in heaven,For your holy purifying bath,And my salutations in the morn to you ,Who is the mother of all worlds,Who is the house wife of the Lord of the worlds,And who is the daughter of the ocean which gave nectar.

20) Kamale Kamalaksha vallabhe twam,Karuna poora tharingithaira pangai,Avalokaya mamakinchananam,Prathamam pathamakrithrimam dhyaya

Meaning

She who is the Lotus, She who is the consort, Of the Lord with Lotus like eyes, She who has glances filled with mercy,Please turn your glance on me,Who is the poorest among the poor,And first make me the vessel ,To receive your pity and compassion.

Form the " Completion" Habit

" Get a good idea and stay with it, and work it until it's done and done right' - By Walt Disney

Sometimes we may have a habit of leaving things incomplete whenever we are interrupted and going to the next issue. A normal day is a day full of interruptions. A perfectly uninterrupted time is not possible. As you are working, you may be interrupted by phone calls, visitors or any other type of interupptions. While you are doing a job and if you are interuppted in between, go back to same job which was interuppted and do not pick up the next job unless you complete it.

It is likely that you will be asked to handle an equally important task in hand. Do it accepting it as a reality. However, after the interupption is over, go back to the interuppted task. It is something like understanding a travel. When your journey is interuppted due to traffic jam, or diversion, you accept it as a reality and take a deviation. You join the main road after the interupption is over. Keep this example in mind next time you are interuppted.

Remember what Edward Deming said : " Constancy of purpose and consistency of action". The ability to bounce back after an interupption is a very critical skill for succeeding in life.

R.Ramakrishnan

18th Aug 2008

Enjoy what you are doing

I remember a good quote from Mr.Thomas E. Burton
" With ordinary talent and extraordinary perserverance, all things are attainable .

An excellent quote and just a a debrief on this

Sometimes you get into a mindset wondering what you are doing. Something which you do may not be to your liking. There are two options in your life
1) Do what you love doing
2) If you are not so lucky, love what you are doing!

If you do not love what you are doing, you will not fix your mind on it and this will reflect in quality of the work that you turn out.

Whenever you are doing an activity, it is not merely the content of the job which will produce the result. What is equally important is the emotinal value that you assign to the job. The more you are emotionally involved in doing the activity, the better will be the quality of the output and nearer the goal.

Especially when you have to do something which you are not happy to do, consider the various advantages that will be in front of you, once you complete the project. Visualise the future where you will be really, enjoying the benefit of what you are doing right now. As long as there is no other option but to do the job, do it with a smile or quit the situation and openly express.

Today list those things which do not like doing and start considering what aspect of it you like most. Do it first and you will like it . But also ensure that what you are doing is ethically right , fits into your values and beliefs and in case what you are doing comes out in newspaper tomorrow , what will be your feeling !

R.Ramakrishnan
10th Aug 2008