A Date with Omega – Part 2

In continuation of Part 1 – http://wp.me/p1JgXj-2f

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“…. But you must! This is about faith, my child. This is about hopes and dreams of all the poor souls. We must set it right. You must get me to sit with them.”

Rev. Tony was in the office leaning over the secretary’s desk. He was dressed in robes making the office staff wonder if he had come in straight after sermon. Or whether the sermon was moved to their office! Rev. Tony, when not in church, was known around town for his love of wearing kurta and jeans with Kolhapuri chappals.

“Priscilla, I know about your father. Your mother had a difficult life and yet she raised you and your brothers so well. God rest her soul…. I ask a small favour, my child. I need to speak to them. Don’t you think someone like me should be on that interview?”

4 Simple Management Lessons from The Batman

This post dedicated to Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Lee Falk ….. and Christopher Nolan!

Taking a break from management books, posts on linkedin, TED talks, and pep-talks from the Boss (?), I happened to pick up a comic book at the airport bookstore.

There’s no arguing that The Batman is the most iconic character among superheroes (and I sincerely hope the image stays iconic even after Bat-fleck gets out of the cave – hence this article while we still have Bat-bale fresh in our memory!)

Batman has no superpowers and no super human strength. He is subject to the limitations that apply to human physical capabilities and wit. Yes, he is super-rich and can afford such pass-time as crime-fighting for Gotham’s sake!

Over the years, he has had no career change. The Batman is consistent in his dedication and pursuit to save Gotham. And that’s quite commendable ’cause his job description had the words, “deal with nutcases like The Joker, The Penguin and Ra’s al Ghul everyday!”

How does he do it? And what’s that got to do with regular office going folk, making a living and advancing their careers … and on a much leaner bank account compared to the primary resident of Wayne Manor?

Here are some key lessons observed from The Caped Crusader’s mission over the years.

A Date with Omega – Part 1

“Why are we here?”

“Why do people die?”

“What is the time and date in your watch?”

“How old are you really?”

He had been sitting at his study desk for an hour now and that’s all he could come up with. “Come on, you’re better than that”, he thought to himself. “I’ve got to put him in the spot.”

This was perhaps the most defining moment of his career. That one opportunity to create a magnum opus, other journalists would give an arm and leg for. “Or even sell their soul for…”, he thought out aloud with a hearty laugh, marveling at his own sense of humour. Yes, this was the moment he’d been waiting for. This. “I’m going to make this one THE historic event they’ll speak of for centuries. I can already see headlines – The Almighty, Arjun Swami”. He laughed again.

“Besides”, he murmured to himself, watching his cat leave the room, “I’m tired of listening to those religious pundits and soothsayers like they’ve always known for years. This should settle the score and refresh those otherwise traditional conservative beliefs… if they really are traditional and conservative after Wednesday, that is.” He gripped his pen tighter realizing he maybe in for a shake up of his beliefs as well.

How to Sound LIKE A BOSS in 6 ½ Easy Steps

This is a repost of original posted on my linkedin profile [14 Aug 2014]

We know how to dress like one and walk like one, but what about sounding like one? Whether recently promoted or managing a team or just-not-there-yet, put in practice these pointers and watch your career fly …!

Here’s how you sound like a Big Boss-man (or woman)!

… Over Emails

1. Have Email communications with your team members over a number of days over a single topic

Sender: 1 Aug @ 10am: Shall we call Mr.X today at 4pm?
You: 2 Aug @ 10.45am: Ask for today 11am or tomorrow 3pm
Sender: 2 Aug @ 11am: Mr X is ok for tomorrow 3pm
You: 3 Aug @ 2.45pm: Hi. Can you push the call to 4 Aug at 6pm? …

2. Send emails at 11pm using Outlook’s “Delay Delivery” to look busy at unearthly working hours. Make that 2am!

One Coffee Without Sugar

She was still in the kitchen making coffee. I’d just finished sending a couple of emails and realized I hadn’t said a word to her since fifteen minutes. As I tried to get a peek into the kitchen my attention was drawn to the view from the balcony.

The air outside was cool and breezy. The road looked clean and washed. Some kids were splashing about in the shallow puddles. The trees were glowing bright green and the hill in the background was looking up at the dark clouds. At some distance along the side of the hill, a shepherd was carrying his lamb hurriedly to a nearby shed.

“Such a laidback and tranquil place away from the bustling city”, I thought to myself, “…atleast for now…”, as I looked over at the two construction sites down the road. Soon the city would engulf this neighbourhood too. Soon that hill would disappear.

The weather was perfect for some hot tea and biscuits.  But not today. This time I said yes to coffee ’cause I didn’t want her spending longer making tea. And I’m very particular about tea. She knew that. She could do without my tea tantrums just this once.

I heard the familiar sound of the steel strainer tapping thrice over a cup. I got off my chair and walked into the kitchen to help her bring the cups into the living room. She gave me that familiar smile like when she always would after coffee was ready!

I was the first one to sit. I quickly downed one biscuit and sipped some coffee. She was still settling into her chair, looking for her pair of glasses. Soon, we would be ready to discuss the events of the last few months.

A Matter of Importance

Almost mid year, its time for the half yearly meeting and the usual targets and quotas will be discussed. It’s a busy time now making presentations and making up numbers wherever possible, atleast for those who haven’t any in reality! All sales staff stuck at their PC peering through excel sheets and woprd documents – that scene is when the boss sits on the sales floor. Over 8 out of 10 staff have a social networking site, some music app, video streaming in the background. That’s just the computer. Their phone is constantly pinging messages and images on mobile social apps, personal emails through the email client, notifications of all types flashing and pinging on the screen. The mobile battery could die anytime, so its always plugged to the laptop or the DC socket. Just one second, a call from an unknown number just came in …. Some telemarketing person wanting to sell me insurance through my credit card. Anyways, where was i?…. ah yes, the mobile apps…no.. the battery running low… oh, wait, I better tell my wife to bring along the power bank later tonight when meeting at dinner. And yes, I have to take the printout for the movie ticket I booked online. And on the way over there I need to pay my bills, right after I get that free coffee from the newly opened stall at the mall. Or maybe I’ll do that tomorrow. Which means I need to leave early ….. buzzzzfffpt

Allegedly uncluttered yet complex life!

The thing about living abroad is that it isn’t easy living in your “own house” anytime soon, after moving to a new location. Well atleast for a considerable amount of time – unless your dad’s a bigshot or your ancestors left you some pirate’s gold chest!

Until that day comes, you’ve got to live “paying rent”. Like everyone else. Everyone like you.

Given the fact your maximum lease on a flat (say, in Singapore) is 2 years, I’m of the opinion that possessing Less is Good – keeps you mobile and hassle free. For a Bachelor guy (no more!) it’ll mean 2 bags of luggage max. A shoulder bag and a Laptop. Life is set.

The problem arises when you’ve stayed 6 months or more – you then start owning stuff (sh*t). A DvD player (obsolete), a music system, an iPad, perhaps a flat screen TV, 2-3 cameras, mixer grinder (no kidding), iron box, books, wires and cables from above, adaptors, new clothes, old clothes, new shoes, worn out shoes, a lampshade, a standing fan, a microwave oven, and perhaps your own sofa (impulse buy!!).

This is not what I had in mind. Who did that when I wasn’t looking? What’s this retail therapy they say? Who’s going to load this sh*t up when I move to a new (hopefully “my own”) place?

Now I know how monks feel – Life ought to be clutter free. Simple and sweet. Limited possessions keeps your emotions in check. Being materialistic just saddens me.

Top 10 Myths about Singapore

For the uninitiated or first time visitors to Singapore

1. Best time of the year to Visit is….
   Any month! Singapore is a few kilometres off the Equator i.e. Tropical climate. If you did your geography lessons well in 8^th grade you’d know in such case it rains a bit everyday and also shines a lot everyday. The news channels here don’t have a weatherman/woman! Need i say more? Leave your winter wear and even your jeans at home.

Steve Jobs and his Indian Spiritual (dis)Connect

It is but inevitable. It is but the want of typical stories. It is but only page filling tactics. It is but a bad habit hard to break. It is but only what the masses want. It is but only search engine optimisation to write on popular topics of the day!!

It happens every single time. When an important event or a massive bit of news is made relating to person or place – there it is – its association (at some point of time) to ….. India. It seems the entire world has at some point been to India, walked the streets, donned the traditional attire, clicked snaps, been to the ashram and felt something God-Like!!

A famous personality, Steve Jobs, recently passed away. May his soul rest in peace. The “master innovator”, “Apple founder”, “great entrepreneur”, “college drop out” and many other names that he is known by, passed away peacefully after a long drawn battle with pancreatic cancer. Within moments of his death, the news had captivated the world. In Asia, where most of us were just waking up to our morning coffee/tea, the news was quite a shock to all Apple fans and iPhone lovers. By the time I arrived in office, the topic was already a hot subject for the day and there was genuine respect for the achievements of such an inspiring gentleman as Steve Jobs.

For some strange reason, I had this thought in the back of my head that the predictable bit is about to happen. And within hours (thanks to a story-hungry journalist somewhere in India or wherever) there it was – a story about Steve Jobs’ connection with India 35 years ago!! How very very predictable and seriously lame.

Jeans-Clad Van Damme is a Hard Target no??!?

Quietly seated in the lounge of a nice downtown hotel in Jakarta, I was trying to look a bit like those other gentlemen with a business agenda. The problem was within moments one of the butlers switched on the TV and there it was – the movie I’ve seen a thousand times since I was 13, Jean Claude Van Damme’s Hard Target! This movie never dies, it gets all the more ridiculous each time I watch it, yet I do watch it again and again.

I love this movie!!! I remember heading down to the video library after school, 3^rd time that week cause the movie was rented out, and running back with the VHS tape to make the most of the 24 hours rent!! John Woo (then so very unknown) made his mark with the Action in this movie which probably set the precedent for all the movies that followed.