Teri- meri; Merry Christmas!! ...  ........... now that the world has not ended; now that our PGDM continues; now that New Year eve is fast approaching, let me wish you all great festivities and a marvellous inning ahead.

                          All our festivals and celebrations do carry some messages; subtle at times, loud and clear at others. So, here we are with X-mas, an occasion to forgive (to forget, however, remains pretty difficult)! And as I prepare to forget a thing or two that happened very recently, I would ponder over some related issues before shoving the whole thing into a deep, dark abyss. You see, any manual that deals with leadership, management, motivation and such like subjects, will tell you NOT to do a few things (considered SINS!). The first and foremost is being insensitive to people who are under your control (real or assumed...control, i.e!). If a person-in-charge starts to think himself/herself as someone around whom the earth rotates and someone who defines centre of the universe, the doom has just about begun. So, it helps in being compassionate! 

                                                          The next issue is of having an attitude. Professional arrogance comes with experience and after a lot of hard work. Amazingly, nature has so devised its ways that any one who works hard, begins to get humble as he/she embarks on the journey of self realisation (aberrations remaining). So, a learned person must not have an attitude that goes beyond the realm of a justified professional arrogance. And if it is there, someone is simply faking or living in a paradise of own creativity or both!

                                                                  And then comes truthfulness!  A famous saying goes that no one can fool everyone all the time. So, for a person on top, the perpetual issue is that of too many eyes staring at him/her (if not his/her bottom, ie...ha, haahhahaha). So, a man on top can not manipulate facts and get away every time. So, it looks funny when you, in all your smartness, say a few things that are false and make  few claims that are unfounded...... we are too many, each one with two eyes!

                                                            'Divide and Rule' .... historically the term gets associated with British policy leading to partition of our subcontinent some seven decades ago! (BTW, for those who know the history well, it is a misplaced notion. Indians and not Britishers caused the divide and suffered the consequences. Had it been their policy, it would have got legislated across the globe that was under British at that point of time. But our national character proves that we have this uncanny character of living in the shadows of rifts and divides...... anyways, irrelevant here.) Bad as it was then, bad it is even now and when someone tries to play this card, one is simply making a fool of oneself. 'Trade union'? well, we do not have one but a failed attempt to divide and rule does lead to unity at receiving end!

                                                       Vindictiveness... that is the last nail in any leader's coffin! Threats do no good when you have people who have lived a life of being expendables! Our nation looks at us as assets that would be spent at the right moment. At a personal level, every time we step out of an operational base, we are not sure whether we would be back for the next cup of coffee or not. So, when you threaten us, all that we can do then (if not to give you back) is to laugh out loud, LOL as youngsters call it! But such a behaviour affects younger students a lot...... what a pity it would be if they adopt it as a tool in future!

                               And like hell, let no one even get a notion that I do not need a job!

                                            Moving on (having forgiven; trying to forget), two issues have been bugging me through this weekend. First concerns our attitude as citizens of the country. As shared through a post on Facebook recently, all of us love Bhagat Singhs and Abdul Hamids but in neighbour's house. We admire our martyrs but do not want to lose our own during a conflict. So, when I look at the protests taking place in the heart of the capital city (post rape incident), I wonder as to how many of us really want to contribute to the voice rather than sit and watch the show during breaks in 'saas-bahu' serials. Having spent a night at Ram Leela Maidan when Anna was sitting on a fast last year, I vouch for the fact that nothing can replace the feeling of BEING THERE! Now, many of us actually want to be there and have been there already but then it is not one-time thing! Also, it would be nice if we get together and mark our presence there one day (at least) like so many other students who are doing the same. So, if we can be sent to Jaipuria, why can not we be spared for a day (without any official transport or support) by our esteemed EBS! In an attendance-centric environment, this is the least we would expect from our management so that we too, as they say in management parlance, become STAKEHOLDERS of some sort. Years later, let us also narrate to our children that YES we were there where (and when) it mattered the most; India's transformation has just begun after all. I still remember the tales from pre-1947 struggle as narrated by my grandfather who happened to be a member of Bhagat Singh's group! Give us an opportunity to have a similar privilege with our future generations.

                         The second issue is about 'All Work And No Play' syndrome! Now, whosoever (AICTE or MHR) has invented such a curriculum (two years without any FORMAL break worth a mention), has done a big damage to a generation of management graduates. What would be the result of such a regime? I am not sure but I do have an idea about the quality of products. The products of such a curriculum will make great workaholics - managers and functionaries who would never understand the importance of play in life; hard taskmasters who would never look beyond work and who will nip many promising careers in the bud if there were ever a voice of discontent. Unfortunately, things are accepted as such even at the levels where changes can be made. Likewise, we are getting no break during this week (except today; thanx to Indian Constitution) and we are expected to be present on 01 Jan 2013 too (hangovers and related hazards of driving to EBS in a semi-inebriated state notwithstanding!) And yes, years later, many of my present day colleagues will actually look back at such a 'professional' approach while denying some moments of fun and frolic to their subordinates and that would be really sad. Such events may be insignificant (especially, eg, say if everything (and hopefully) goes on smoothly and no one bangs his car or bike on the foggy morning after 31 Dec celebrations) in isolation but then somehow, such things tend to have a cascading effect and that too over years and over generations. No wonder then that we can not become a sporting nation like, say Australia, despite a huge population differential. We make good workers and managers but do we, as a community, make great leaders? Answer is obvious and reasons are many; this being one such reason.

             Anyways, life continues as it must........! Have a great time over and beyond the weekend and remember, never do to others that you would not like to be done to yourself (Do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you......as Jews put it!) whether it is today or tomorrow or years later!

    MERRY CHRISTMAS ONCE AGAIN!