Why Some CEOs are Unlike What CEOs Should Truly Be

Some of those who become CEOs may not deserve to be one. Such people are generally those who are fake at the core, take stand as per convenience, promote coterie culture and are not inspiring at all. These threads have been elaborated below.

Fake at the Core

Such CEOs are good actors who display superficial genuineness and passion. At the core, however, they are laid back with no real interest in the affairs of the organization.

Many of these people are those who are having a second career (after they get retired or are asked to leave). Such people will have no personal liability (home mortgage paid off and children educated and married off) and the job came their way as a result of loyalty rather than merit.

Take Stand as per Convenience

Such CEOs take decisions based on prejudiced whims and fancies. They are highly checklist oriented and just interested in activities happening with no consideration to the purpose and value.

For such CEOs convenience is a key method that is used to carry on with the organizational affairs with a false sense of purpose and urgency. Shortcuts and occasional slip-ups of ethics are fine as long as things get managed eventually.

Promote Coterie Culture

Such CEOs assemble a set of loyalists around them who are basically "yes sir" men and promote a culture where the CEO's statement is viewed as a diktat and hence never challenged.The people reporting into the CEO may differ but lack the professional courage to technically challenge the CEO.

Such CEOs when they hire a senior professional do not allow her to become a part of the "CEO's club" and in case she challenges the CEO on certain decisions the CEO brings his flock of loyalists more closer and belittle the senior professional. In such situations senior professionals would not stay beyond a certain period. The coterie culture feeds on itself where hiring a a senior professional becomes next to impossible.

Not Inspiring at All

Such CEOs fail to proved inspiration to the employees in general. They might be reasonably good in public speaking but those who interact with the CEO get to see the other, usually dirty, side of the CEO as demonstrated in private discussions, emails, etc.

Such CEOs would have a hands-off approach to management and would usually talk in air, talk about building castles, start initiatives in multiple directions without worrying about the organizational priorities, etc.

Try to Live to 100 and Beyond but be Ready to Die Any Moment

Death is the only reality of life. Rest everything is illusory, transient and what happens to us while we are on the way to meeting our death at a certain moment.

When we die we need just 6 ft by 3 ft hole to be burned in or buried under. All the great things we did or failed to do, all the material possessions we acquired or failed to acquire, all the nice things we said or failed to say, come to a sort of nothingness.

It is painful to think that your father and mother will grow old and weak, might fall sick as well and eventually die one day. There is no reason to assume this will not happen to you. Hence it is important to treat your parents well and take care of them when they are alive. Praying with folded hands in front of their photos on a wall after they die is meaningless.

Stay with them, touch them, hear them and listen to them. It is better to talk to them, understand their concerns, share beautiful moments with them, take them out to places they want to see, make them feel happy and blissful while they are alive. This will help them meet their deaths happily and peacefully. And it will help you also to meet you death happily and peacefully as you won't carry the guilt and regret that you couldn't make your parents life happy when they were alive.

Like your parents you will also grow old and weak, might fall sick as well and eventually die one day. Like you and your parents, your kids and their kids (and in fact everyone) will grow old and weak, might fall sick as well and eventually die one day. So be nice with your kids and enjoy time with them. Touch them, hear them and listen to them.  It will help you and your kids to meet death happily and peacefully as neither you nor they would carry the guilt and regret that either couldn't make the others life happy when alive.

It might also happen that your kids die before you die. In that case also you will have no guilt and regret if you have done the above. It can also happen that your kids don't do unto you as you did for your parents. Don't even expect it. If your kids do all that you did for your parents good and if not even better.

There is no point in waiting for tomorrow to start doing these things. It's better to start right now. Remember time is running out for all of us. The journey towards death starts the very moment one takes birth.

Watching someone die is a very mind numbing and humbling experience. More so if the person dying meets with an untimely death. But then death doesn't care about the time. It will come when it has to come. Seeing someone die and being consigned to flames is the most beautiful and pure truth of one's existence. It tells you your ultimate destination. Becoming a president, a CEO, a general, etc. is not the end point of life, dying is.

Death, however, should not mean one stops living because one has to die one day. It rather means one needs to live life to its fullest extent so that one is prepared to die when the time comes.

One should try to live to 100 and beyond but live each moment as if that's the last moment of one's life. Being ready to die any moment is the ultimate success one can achieve in life. For keeping oneself grounded to reality remember your death, as of anyone else, matters a zilch in this universe. Sun, moon, stars, earth will go on with their motions even if all of us were to die at this very moment. We are born to die and we should welcome it happily at all moments.

Black Money - Where to Look for Black Money in India?

One hears about a lot of black money flowing in India. If someone were to find out where it is hiding here are some places to look for black money:

Real Estate

Anytime one hears the phrase "you have to pay a premium" one can bet the premium is nothing but the black money asked by the seller. And who are these sellers? Mostly investors with loads of black money. Black money grows faster and fatter as compared to white money because these "investors" pay no tax on the black money - neither income tax nor capital gains tax. In fact it is really amazing that the term being used is "investor" rather than "tax violators".

Simply asking all builders to provide the names and contact details of those who have bought and sold a house before the physical possession is enough to nail these "tax violators". Most of such people would be ones with black money.

Wedding and Festivals

In many cases someone splurging loads and loads of cash on wedding, birthday parties, festivals is a good case to explore further. Chances are high that the money behind all of it would be black in color. When payments made for all such expenses are made in cash it is invariably a case of black money being used by the person making the payment. Not only that the payment accept in such cases stays in cash and gets spent further in cash, all of it remaining in black.

Simply asking all tentwallahs, banquet hall and lawn owners and restaurants organizing birthday parties the names and contact details of those who have used their services is enough to nail these "tax violators". Most of such people would be ones with black money.

Managing Cost Control

Cost control is an effective strategy for an organization to rein in its expenses and hence positively impact the profit margin. Here are some examples of cost controls that can be viewed as aggressive by employees if introduced for the first time but without exercising due care.

• Number of cups of teas and coffees consumed by employees is rationed
• Late stay transport is at fixed times and also drops provided to the employees both in late stay and regular transport is at fixed locations only
• Plastic and paper cups are replaced by every one being given a mug that needs to be washed after every use
• Quantity of food portions taken by an employee in the company cafeteria is rationed
• Paper towels are not available in washrooms
• Lights and AC are switched off or dimmed when not in use 

The above cost control measures should ideally exist in any organization at all times. As a matter of fact, resources should never be overused or wasted whether in the workplace or at home. This is very important in today's context where the sustainability of planet earth is at stake.

Unfortunately many organizations adopt these measures only when in distress (economic slowdown, recession, etc.). This may lead them to be viewed as aggressive by employees if introduced for the first time but without exercising due care. Cost control measures perceived as aggressive can vitiate the organizational culture if not managed nicely.

Always Remember, We Have to Die One Day

The way most of us live it appears as if we assume we would never die. Every day we go about doing our daily chores in a ritualistic manner assuming we will be doing the same tomorrow as well.

Nothing is farther from the truth. We must always remember that we have to die one day and that day could be any day. Death is a great equalizer that way. After our dead bodies are burnt or buried it is in some way "returned to nature". This means that we must always remain "down to earth".

The constant realization of the inevitability of death is a powerful method to keep one's ego at check. All of us - the famous, the infamous and the not-at-all famous - join and stand in the line of the "waiting to die" the moment we take birth in this world.

Death will come to all. And it can be said that for all of us the key question regarding death is not if but when. We must always be prepared to die but until then try to live a wholesome life each day and each second. Whenever one is felling depressed or exuberant it is a good time to do a reality check and repeat to oneself "we have to die one day".

Life is Too Precious to be Lost on a Road

If one drives on Indian roads for some time it is more than enough to make one emotionally drained initially and stiff over time. Here are the typical sights and sounds on Indian roads:

• Mangled remains of cars and other vehicles
• Trucks that are overturned or lying at strangle angle on or off the roads
• Dead bodies and injured people
• Ambulances arriving at the site of accident and rushing away to a hospital nearby
• Bodies of animals crushed under the tyres
• Dark red spots of human or animal blood on the road

The loss of life and material has its economic, social and emotional impact on those who experience it first hand. For the others it is the loss of life on the roads that has the maximum emotional impact.

The first time one watches a dead body of any man or woman involved in an accident the feeling can be gut-wrenching and emotionally draining. The question that lingers on for many days and weeks to come is "oh, it can happen to me also, I can also die in an accident!". After few such incidents one becomes philosophical and emotionally stiff, "well since it can very well happen to me I better buy an accident insurance policy!".

Life is too precious to lost on a road. We must keep this in our minds while we drive on Indian roads. Some of the following rules may be helpful:

• Know and follow all traffic rules yourself but assume that others will not (expect vehicles on wrong side, over-taking from wrong side, vehicles in the night driving with both front and rear lights not working, overloaded vehicles, etc.)
• Assume bad roads and feel happy if the roads are in good condition (expect potholes, craters, wrongly parked vehicles, extreme lanes being hijacked by shops on either side of the road, etc.)
• Drive with a relaxed mind. If one has to reach on time it's better to start early than drive fast (expect unannounced road diversions, traffic jams regardless of the time of the day, etc.)
• Though driving fast is not unsafe on Indian roads it is (stray animals can suddenly come on the way, other drivers can stop or turn unexpectedly without any warning, etc.)

As life is too precious to lost on a road, one must exercise due care and caution as one drives on the Indian roads. Loosing one's life on a road demeans and devalues life.

Some Thoughts that Traverse the Mind of Someone Who Finally Decides to Quit

It is interesting to analyze the psychology of someone who reaches to the conclusion "I think I need to move on". Here are some thoughts that traverse the mind of someone who finally decides to quit:

• There is no future growth in the role one is currently in. Due to fundamental issues in the organizational hierarchy and reporting structure further growth is not possible. One scenario is when one group head (who is not a part of the executive team) has to report into another group head (who is a part of the executive team by virtue of being part of the trusted coterie of the CEO/MD).
• There is constant intellectual difference with the CEO/MD or the executive team. The CEO/MD decides and everyone in the executive team follows suit due to the prevalence of a "Yes Sir" culture. One scenario is when one challenges the decision of the CEO/MD and is conveyed in an indirect, unprofessional manner (through another group head whom one reports into) that the decision is beyond questioning
• There is a culture of too many emails being sent with copy to CEO/MD. One scenario is when very interestingly the CEO/MD always comes back with the statement "Let's do it folks (no questions asked and none answered)". The CEO/MD also gets the message conveyed in an indirect, unprofessional manner (through another group head whom one reports into) that the suggestion is beyond questioning
• There is a culture of arrogance and self-aggrandizement where one of the group head who also happens to be a founder member carries the notion that his group (let's say A) is the the most important one. One scenario is when the company level strategic meet is called as A meet as if A only matters to the company's success.
• There is a unbalanced organizational structure where various groups are manned by people with different designations (role-wise and accountability-wise the group heads are at par but grade-wise and authority-wise some are superior and others are inferior). This is further complicated by having the inferior ones report into the superior ones. It is no wonder that the superior ones are a part of the executive team by virtue of being part of the trusted coterie of the CEO/MD.
• There is a tendency to demean and downplay the contributions made by an inferior group head and his team to the organization. The CEO/MD announces in the annual company meet about what the group helped to achieve as the biggest event of the year but there is no acknowledgement and appreciation of the group which was instrumental in the achievement.
• There is a tendency to "show the true place" to the inferior group head. One scenario is while going out for lunch the CEO/MD bluntly ignores the inferior group head and at the same time warmly invites the superior group head - "I think you should come along with us"
• There is a tendency of the CEO/MD to overrule the inferior group head. After a meeting where the inferior group head proposes a different view the CEO/MD tells the superior group head that "I heard that guy say there could be a delay, I don't care about that and want it to be done my way"

In above points many key cultural emerge as the factors at play in an organization. For the "inferior" group head stuck in such a situation there is one simple advise when one says "I think I need to move on" - You are absolutely right, you must move on and as fast as possible!

200 Kms Drive in Delhi NCR

Few days back I drove in the NCR covering a distance of around 200 kilometers. I started from my home in the morning and was back home the same evening. This shows how big Delhi NCR region is and more importantly the excellent roads that Delhi-wallahs enjoy.

The starting point was Gurgaon and the first stop was Sector Mu, Greater Noida. The next stop was Vasundhara, Ghaziabad and the last stop was Hindon, Ghaziabad (interestingly, this drive spanned across three states - Haryana, Delhi and UP). From Hindon I came back to Gurgaon. While driving I took the following route:

• On old Jaipur-Delhi Highway from Sector 23 Gurgaon crossing till Kapashera Crossing
• On the road from Kapashera Crossing till NH8 (Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway) under the last flyover before the Toll Plaza at Delhi-Haryana border (also known as KM24 Toll Plaza)
• On NH8 till the exit on Outer Ring Road that goes towards Vasant Vihar
• On Outer Ring Road till under the RTR Flyover
• On the road going left from under the RTR Flyover till Inner Ring Road that passes through South Campus
• On Inner Ring Road going towards left and then taking a big U-turn to come back towards Moti Bagh
• On Inner Ring Road till the start of the DND Expressway a little beyond the Ashram flyover
• On DND Expressway till the second left turn which exits on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway that goes towards Greater Noida
• On Noida-Greater Noida Expressway for another 25-30 Kms till the point where the Yamuna Expressway starts from where taking the road on the right side would take one towards Pari Chowk
• On the road till Pari Chowk and then taking a right turn towards the Golf Course and then taking a left turn along the Gold Course
• On the road next to Golf Course till the next crossing where taking a right turn would take one towards Sector Mu
• On the road towards Sector Mu that passes through a village and finally reaching Sector Mu. From Sector Mu I returned to the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway having a brief stopover on the way at someone's house. 
• On Noida-Greater Noida Expressway till Noida Mor on NH24, passing Mayur Vihar on the way
• On NH24 till the left turn a little beyond the Gazipur flyover (the straight road goes towards Hapur and Moradabad). This road goes towards Hardwar and Dehradun
• On the road towards Hardwar and Dehradun till the last intersection a little before Mohan Nagar flyover. This takes one inside Vasundhara area. At Vasundhara I had a stopover at someone's house. After that I came back to the same intersection and took a right turn into the same road.
• On the road towards Hardwar and Dehradun till the intersection beyond the Mohan Nagar flyover. One needs to be careful as the road going towards Hindon is not easy to locate since it is at an angle. The road going towards right goes towards Meerut Bypass and Ghaziabad City.
• On the road towards Hindon till the place I had to go. At Hindon I had a stopover at someone's house after which I started back for Gurgaon taking the same road going towards Mohan Nagar flyover.
• On the road passing through Mohan Nagar flyover till the crossing a little before Gazipur flyover where one has to take a right turn to go towards Delhi.
• On the road passing through Gazipur flyover till the point where it meets Inner Ring Road a little away from the Sarai Kale Khan flyover.
• On Inner Ring Road till the point where the Barapullah flyover starts
• On Barapullah flyover till the exit at INA market and then taking a left turn takes to meet the Inner Ring Road at the AIIMS flyover
• On the Inner Ring Road taking the clover leaf that take one towards Dhaula Kuan and going till little beyond the Bhikaji Cama flyover where the left turn takes on towards Sector 1, R. K. Puram.
• On the road towards R. K. Puram, going straight till the Munirka flyover where taking a right turn and then an immediate left turn takes on towards Vasant Kunj
• On the road towards Vasant Kunj till the Masoodpur flyover where taking a right turn takes one towards Mahipalpur
• On the road towards Mahipalpur that passes Vasant Kunj on the way till one reaches NH8 (Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway) under the Mahipalpur flyover where taking a left turn takes one towards Gurgaon
• On NH8 till the last flyover before the Toll Plaza at Delhi-Haryana border (also known as KM24 Toll Plaza) where taking a left and then a right takes one towards Kapashera Crossing. This road passes the Mangal Mahadev on the left (a landmark that is hard to miss).
• On the road towards Kapashera Crossing where taking a left turn at Kapashera Crossing takes one to Sector 22, Gurgaon passing Kapashera on the way.
• And finally reaching the starting point in Gurgaon

One keyword that gets repeated many times in the route described above is "flyover" that shows why Delhi is truly the city of  flyovers.

Good Work Culture but a Bad Work Place

Many organizations claim to have "good work culture". And in this context "good work culture" represents one or more of the following  elements:

• Top management propagates open door policy and is seemingly accessible to others without taking prior appointment from the executive secretary
• Top management or the CEO has an email id like write2ceo@abc.com or mail2mgmt@abc.com to which employees can freely send suggestions and concerns
• Team members are encouraged to walk to their manager, without any prior appointment, to discuss their concerns
• Teams go out on outings, picnics, lunches, team building etc. which are assumed to strengthen relations of managers to team members and team members to team members in an informal setting
• There are events like annual day, annual night, sports day, open house, family day, annual meet, annual picnic, etc. where employees can interact with top management in an informal environment
• Top management conducts monthly open houses, all hands meeting, town hall meeting, etc. where organizational updates are shared with the rank and the file
• The organization has a set of core values (six to eight generally) and a code of conduct (consisting of eight to twelve points generally) which all employees are expected to imbibe and practice
• The organization claims to provide career growth opportunities through lateral movement, promotions, cross training, new assignments, etc.
• The organization claims to have employee friendly policies like work from home, family bereavement leave, flexible working hours, self service portals. etc.

Unfortunately, in many organizations the above elements become a means to camouflage the intrinsic structural weaknesses in the organizational strategy, structure and culture. Such organizations with apparently "good work culture"could be a "bad work place". And in this context "bad work place" represents one or more of the following  elements:

• Top management is seemingly accessible but the all powerful executive secretary cannot be bypassed. Not only that the top management gives an impression of all talk and rarely walk.
• Top management or the CEO email ids are not attended to many times and when attended to end up sounding over-sincere but in the end justifying why the suggestions and concerns cannot be taken up
• Team members are encouraged to walk to their manager but the managers are mostly busy in first getting their concerns addressed in the hustle and bustle of organizational dynamics
• Teams go out on outings, picnics, lunches, team building etc. where team members enjoy the day off, have a nice lunch and indulge in a lot of irrelevant, trivial talk
• There are events like annual day, annual night, sports day, open house, family day, annual meet, annual picnic, etc. where employees do interact with top management but must always keep the guards on
• Top management conducts monthly open houses, all hands meeting, town hall meeting, etc. where organizational updates are shared but in a very ritualistic manner
• The organization's core values and code of conduct are enforced amongst employees through a corporate mandate but actions of top management are at times exempt from those
• The organization effects lateral movement through management force (manager may disagree but is forced to take a member in the team) and promotions are tenure-based rather than role-based
• The organization claims to have employee friendly policies but the approvals and oversight on such policies are such that employees avoid using them

Unpleasant Workplace Situations

Happiness in life depends upon what happens to one in the home, at the workplace and elsewhere. One key point to be noted is that the control and influence one generally has on the home matters is reasonably high, on the workplace matters is moderate to less and elsewhere is very less.

It is an important characteristic of the modern society that one's identity and social status has a lot to do with one's standing in the workplace. For example, the Prime Minister of a country is a Prime Minister every second of his or her term and hence enjoys all the privileges that comes with the workplace position, both material and social. Similarly, an IT Support professional has a certain social status because of his being an IT Support professional. Friends may refer to the IT Support professional as "he is the network guy" or "he fixes IT systems".

The control and influence one has on the workplace matters and the fact that one's identity and social status has a lot to do with one's standing in the workplace implies that happiness in life depends a lot upon what happens to one at the workplace.

Unpleasant situations happen at every workplace and to almost everyone in their careers not once but many many times. Here are some unpleasant situations one experiences in the workplace, especially in the corporate setup:

• One is not at all copied on an important email
• One is not copied on an important email and receives it as a forward from someone else
• One is not copied on an important email and receives it as a forward from someone else who might be in the reporting chain of the recipient but adds only as much value as a post-redirect does
• One is the head of a function for all practical purposes in actual practice but is not invited to inter-functional meetings as someone else is the function head on the papers
• One as the function head "in actual practice" holds all accountability for failures but has to share the successes with the "on the papers' function head
• One is not invited to an important meeting and the "on the papers' function head represents the "in actual practice" function head
• One as the head of a support function is given clear indication by the marketing head that"sales and marketing" is all that matters as they bring money (revenues, clients)
• One is not proactively informed by a team member regarding the progress of an assigned task unless asked about the same
• One gets to know from a team member only at the last moment that a certain critical task will be delayed
• One is not informed by a team member about him or her being on leave 
• One has a team member who doesn't communicate the stakeholders who might be waiting upon him or her regarding possible delay in completion of certain tasks leading to avoidable escalations

This Way… or Another (A Poem)

Which path shall one head for?
Should one head this way… or another?

On the journey towards the destination
Everyone encounters this question
Which path shall one head for?
Should one head this way or… another?

Thoughts of home as you reach the unknown earth
Bring the familiar feeling in the heart,
That the known clouds though left behind
Are just hiding somewhere for you to find

Memories lingering in your mind-scape
Search for old things in the new landscape
To make you feel at home
As you find many new things are actually known

You are on your way to a new territory
Leaving behind a life full of merry
Determined to find another home
In a land far away from your own

Waiting to start another journey
And ask yourself the same question again
Which path shall you head for?
Should you head this way… or the other?

The Beckoning Beacon (A Poem)

The beacon on the horizon faraway
Ignites feelings of runaway

Reaching there seems tough
With the weather seemingly so violent and rough

Holding tightly to hope
Mustering all inner strength to cope

The unbroken spirit is still alive
To see the days with eyes wide

It is going to be bright soon
If not sun let it be just the moon

Light though dull and dark
Will surely be enough to make the mark

Carrying the longing in the heart
Waiting for just one sight of earth

The days seem to be slow
Like rain turning into snow

The beacon from the distance is beckoning
Seems to say, “it’s you I am challenging!”

Will you arrive at the destination
Doesn’t appear to be anyway a question

Would you be able to arrive with your spirit unbroken
Is really the only million-dollar question

The beacon seems to challenge again
Prove that you are a real man!

Make a wish, offer a pray
Though the weather is all dark and gray

You will make it to the destination with unbroken spirit
Arriving with heart full of spirit

Holler at the beacon with all might
I will be there, yes that’s right!

So here I come
The beckoning beacon

Buying a New Car

Buying a new car is a good exercise to test one's decision making skills. Especially these days when the choices are really too many. If one is in India like me one has multiple models (Ford Fiesta Classic, SX4, Santro Xing, etc.) with multiple versions (LXI, VXI, ZXI, etc.) from dozens of car manufacturers (Maruti Suzuki, Ford, Hyundai, etc.) to choose from. And then due to the increase in prices of petrol in the recent months CNG and diesel cars have suddenly become very popular amongst car buyers.

Suggested Steps for Buying a New Car

So how should one go about buying a car? I am going to narrate my experience and opinion on a suggested approach to decide and buy a car.

It must be remembered that no decision is best and the selected decision should be optimal in a given situation. And most importantly an optimal decision at a given point in time may not remain so afterwards.

So here's a step-wise approach to buy a car. These steps need not be followed in a perfect linear fashion and not only that some of them may need to be iterated more than once.

Step 1 - Check Affordability and Requirements

• Determine, as the first thing, the affordability which depends on one's financial position. Do consider both the one time purchase cost and the recurring cost for fuel, service, repairs, etc.
• Determine the requirements based on factors like one's typical monthly running, ratio of highway versus city driving, social standing, lifestyle, ego drive, etc.
• Decide based on the above whether one would want to buy a petrol, a diesel or a CNG powered car and also whether one would want to buy a hatchback or a sedan or an SUV. In the end however budget is everything and might constrain one's choice to only a hatchback or the low-end version of an entry segment sedan.
• Decide, in case one already has a car, whether one would want to exchange the old car for a brand new car or buy another one (this has direct impact on the budget).

I had an old hatchback car which I wanted to exchange for a new sedan. After having driven the hatchback for 7 years I wanted to move up so as to say. Also financially I was in a position to afford a sedan. In addition I wanted to buy a car with good ground clearance (a must for the potholed and poorly maintained roads). Based on my driving requirements I realized a petrol powered car would suit me fine.

Step 2 - Check Budget Availability

• Figure out the initial budget. A range has to be good to go like 6 to 8 lacs or 15 to 20 lacs. 
• Fine-tune the initial budget based on how much one is willing to spend, down payment amount and loan requirements. 
• Search on the Internet to find out if any schemes or discounts that are being offered during that period.
• Do consider the approximate exchange cost (in case one is wishing to sell the old car and buy a new one) as well to arrive at the maximum amount one can stretch the budget to. 
• One can use the niche websites on cars and automobiles that provide information on approximate exchange cost based on the year of manufacturing of your old car, kilometers driven, condition, accidents and insurance claims history, etc. 
• For getting the URLs of these websites Google for something like "Buy Car India" or "India Car" or anything that you think appropriate.

I did not want to take loan. I also did not want to pay more than a certain amount in cash (x1). Based on research I could gather information on schemes/discounts on offer (x2) and the fair exchange value of  my old car (let's call it x3). So I could come up with my initial budget, B = x1 - x2.+ x3

Step 3 - Check Car Options

• Do research into the cars that will fit the affordability and budget parameters.
• You can use the niche websites to search for cars in the range you have selected.
• Keep in mind that the cost shown in most websites is the 'ex-showroom price' and the 'on road cost' will be typically 8% to 12% higher. This is for the RTO registration, insurance, dealer handling charges, extended warranty, etc.

Based on searching some of the niche websites I zeroed down upon sedans whose 'on road cost' was within B. I narrowed down to diesel versions of three cars - C1, C2 and C3.
  
Step 4 - Visit Car Showrooms

• Visit the car showrooms in person and discuss with the salespersons there. In the visits gather information on 'on road cost' and its detailed break-up for the car models one is interested in. Again one can use the Internet to search for addresses of car showrooms near to you.
• Take a test drive to get a feel of driving the car of choice. Do ask all any questions that come to your mind while doing te test drive. Typical questions are "how to open the bonnet?", "how to use the wipers?", "how to adjust the seats?", etc.
• Do inquire about any scheme that may be going on like cash discounts, free accessories, free fuel coupons, etc. Other than ex-showroom price and RTO registration cost everything else can be negotiated.
• Find out whether there is any exchange and/or loyalty bonus being offered. If you are considering buying another car from the manufacturer of your old car loyalty bonus may be offered. And in case you want to sell your old car for a brand new car exchange bonus may be offered. For availing exchange bonus you need not go with the manufacturer of your old car.

I visited many car showrooms and other than the discussions and information gathering made sure to take the test drive.

Step 5 - Bite the Bullet - Decide which Car to Buy

• Consider various factors like affordability, requirements, etc. and arrive at a decision
• Do consult any friends or family memebers
• Visit the showrooms for next round of discussion and negotiation. Do ask for a better deal or some discounts, etc.
• Agree on the payment amount and other terms and conditions like number of days for car delivery
• Make the token payment and book the car.

I made the final decision based on affordability, requirements, etc.and discussion with some acquaintances, friends and family. For me family's concurrence and affordability was very very important.

Step 6 -  Arrange the Finances and Make the Payment

• Arrange the payment amount
• Make the payment to the car dealer
• Get a commitment from the dealer on the expected delivery date

I arranged the finances and made the payment to the dealer leaving a small part which I decided to pay on the date of the delivery. I also negotiated for an early delivery of the car and also that I would leave my old car with the dealer when I come to take delivery of the new car.

Step 7 -  Drive Home the New Car

• Visit the car dealer on the date of delivery
• Make sure the documents related to registration, warranty, insurance, etc. are in order. In case one is exchanging the old car for the new one, the sale documents for the old car also need to be checked.
• Inspect the car and then sign all papers carefully
• Thanks the car dealer
• Drive your car out of the showroom!

I went on the day of the delivery to the showroom with my family in my old car. And after completing the formalities drove out in the new car.

And while on the road in your new car, very importantly, don't forget to carry the necessary car documents and follow the traffic rules. Enjoy and let other also enjoy safe driving.

Presidents are Better Actors than the Actors

It is hard to imagine that the presidents, prime ministers and heads of states across the world are as genuine as they sound when one listens to their passionate speeches. One fact is true - most of them are great orators and public speakers. How much they really believe in what they so passionately and energetically talk about is anybody's guess though.

In a certain sense one can compare presidents, prime ministers and heads of states to actors. It is known that actors have separate reel lives and real lives. It appears so do the presidents et al. They have a public persona and a private persona where at times the disconnect may be so large as to cause a normal person (and it can be argued that presidents et al are probably not normal) to either go mad or never look settled.

Actors put on the mask temporarily while giving a shot whereas presidents et al have to keep the mask on for longer periods. Otherwise how can one explain presidents et al to talk so genuinely about poverty in a conference but not be bothered at the sight of poor people while on the way to the conference inside a super luxury car. Apparently presidents et are better actors than the actors themselves and know how to manage ambiguity in real life and display of genuineness with a finesse.

The other side of the picture is that if one really and genuinely feels for the poor, downtrodden and marginalized sections of  the society one would jump into concrete action and not bother about becoming president, prime minister and heads of state where one needs to be a great actor and great public speaker.

In fact if if one really and genuinely feels for the poor, downtrodden and marginalized sections of  the society then one won't be able to become president, prime minister and heads of state. Presidents et al leverage their extra-ordinary communication faculties to create a sense of hope and genuineness amongst the masses and may take some actions but are not probably as genuine as they sound.

Keeping One's Emotions at Check in the Workplace

For surviving the ups and downs at the workplace, keeping one's emotions at check is an essential skill. Many a times people loose control over their feelings and take actions for which they keep on blaming themselves for a long, long time. One might even be very unfortunate in certain situations where some of the actions could cause immense, irreparable damage to one's career.

Some situations which can cause one to blow the lid off are described below. However, these are also the situations where one should keep one's emotions in check. Life is not what happens in the workplace but also a lot that happens outside it. Forgetting this fact can lead one to think and act short term and hence cause self-damage.

• One's manager's manager plants a member in one's team. This could be due to the fact that the "plant" is known or has an earlier relation with one's manager's manager or one's manager's manager is neither really a professional nor a believer of the concepts of meritocracy and competency. Sometimes it would difficult to comprehend the reason and rhyme for the desperation to get the "plant" inserted into a team since in most cases there is generally no rhyme or reason. In such cases one needs to be smart to manage the "plant" by one's manager's manager.
• One's reporting manager is placed using artificial structure. This could be due to the fact that one's manager is a trusted solider of one's manager's manager. In such cases trust and relation wins hands down over talent, competency, etc. In such cases one's reporting manager has no technical expertise but still is the manager because of poor organizational design. One should probably move on to another organization as there is a glass ceiling that would come in the way of one's growth should one decide to stay in that organization.
• One's manager's manager has a very hands-off approach to management. He or she doesn't review the execution with the kind of seriousness and rigor as would be an effective approach to manage the business operations. In such situations one should present the data and information in a smart manner so as not to ruffle the feathers of one's manager's manager.

Being a Manager of People is Tough

I think managers of people need to be good students of human psychology. Here are some reasons and situations which make being a manager of people tough.

• When an exiting employee who was a poor performer when being invited for farewell lunch declines it and needs the manager to have a personal talk to covert the no to yes
• When an exiting employee who did not cooperate in transition when being invited for farewell lunch declines it and needs the manager to have a personal talk to covert the no to yes
• When a team member, who has already taken many leaves, when told to cancel leave due to a some business crisis reacts in a negative fashion
• When a team member, who may not have been performing that great, when denied a promotion becomes  negative leading to deterioration in performance
• When a team member takes leaves without informing the manager
• When a team member who would leave at 2pm if he or she has to catch a train in the evening but is not willing in case he or she has to stay back for a critical activity that needs to be completed that day
• When a team member doesn't respond to emails from the manager on time or responds only on being asked by the manager

Exiting an Organization Gracefully

Exiting an organization gracefully without burning the bridges is not only important for an employee's career but also the desired and expected professional behavior as well as a sign of maturity of the exiting employee. However, there are many instances of employees not respecting the golden rule that bridges should never be burnt while exiting.

What are the typical characteristics of situations where exits are not graceful. And what are the typical behaviors demonstrated by employees whose exit is not gracefully handled by them. Following are some thoughts on exits that are not graceful.

• Exiting employee doesn't proactively prepare the transition plan and needs push from the manager to prepare and share it. In certain cases the manager has to lay down the first cut of the transition plan
• Exiting employee starts pushing activities to other team members and especially those who will take over after their exit in an unusual hurry
• Exiting employee detaches himself from the concerns of the organization and lowers productivity and contribution level (even though he or she is a part of the organization until the last working day and is being paid the full salary until then)
• Exiting employee is in a hurry to leave and not willing to serve the full notice period
• Exiting employee focuses on completing those activities that are of personal benefit to him or her like completing a certification and even though allowed to do so doesn't care about the organization's needs and concerns regarding completing the transition activities
• Exiting employee is not flexible to adjust if the transition plan is changed to ensure the transition does indeed get completed
• Exiting employee expects to be given leave (as a matter of right) for festivals and family functions but is not positive if told that the leave days will be adjusted in the notice period by extending it
• Exiting employee spoils the goodwill created until then by pressurizing other team members to facilitate his or her exit without understanding the tough situation the organization might be in and in fact putting the organization in a tight spot
• Exiting employee declines the courtesy extended to him of a farewell lunch (despite all of the above) 

What is amazing is that this happens even in cases where the employee has more than 3-5 years of experience and is expected to be mature and professional. Such exiting employees forget some basic points such as the follows.

• The exiting employee may be forced to serve the full notice period and leave, if any granted, adjusted to the notice period by extending it
• The relieving may become turbulent for the exiting employe
• The reference of the exiting employee may be adversely impacted
• The current manager and team the exiting employee is working may form an opinion about that employee being unprofessional and immature
• The attitude demonstrated by the exiting employee in such situations may be a strong indicator that the employee will not be able to go higher up in the career

What is That One Thing That will Make You Leave Your Current Job?

This is a question that encompasses the essence of all theories and concepts related to employee retention. In general, why do people join an organization and why they leave it are questions that have bothered many of us since our first job. And in particular, why we joined an organization and left it are questions that are worth exploring for us to take appropriate career decisions.

People may have many reasons to feel happy in their current job but might leave for just "that one thing" which may not be working alright. Based on my experiences here are some of the reasons that might be "that one thing" which makes people leave an organization. These are given in no particular order.

• The job becomes a drag with no recognition, no clear growth path and a sense of frustration with the prevalent organizational structure. This might be the case when one works in a department of the organization which is seen as a necessary evil and there is lack of visible and active management support to those working in that department.
• The job falls into rough weather and all growth opportunities are suddenly cut off. This might be the case when one works in a company that gets acquired by another organization and those working in a department are literally run down by those working in the same/similar department of the "acquirer".
• The job doesn't fit with the current, pressing concerns of the organization. This might be the case when one works in a company (especially an SME) that looses lot of business and some of the departments are shunted out and consequently those working in such departments are shown the door. This is an example of a person leaving involuntarily.
• The job not only doesn't carry the right designation and title but also the next role one can grow into is simply not there. This might be the case when one works in a certain sub-department of a department in a company where the sub-department is set-up to serve the "career agenda" of the person heading the department. He/she builds the sub-department to achieve some- short and medium-term career objectives and doesn't have any need of the sub-department from a long-term perspective
• The job carries a fancy title but only in papers and the reporting structure is ill-defined. This might be the case when one works in a company where one department head reports into another department head (the one reporting into the other carries equal level of accountability for meeting the departmental objectives but doesn't have adequate authority). In addition there is a glass ceiling created by the top guy to ensure that no one becomes a part of the team of trusted lieutenants he has put around himself.
• The job carries a title at par with another person in the department but has superior-subordinate relationship with the other person. This might be the case when one works in a company where organization's real growth is stunted but people still grow (by getting tenure-based promotions). Such a growth may not be for real other than the impression it can create when printed on the business card.

If You Want to Reach Safely on Time then Start Early

The philosophy underlying the statement "If You Want to Reach Safely on Time then Start Early" deserves a careful analysis. There is an analogy here to safe driving but the implications are much beyond.

Many people have the habit of driving fast (which might be unsafe at times) and at times rash (which is definitely unsafe at any time) to reach where they want to on time. These people will not consider starting a little early so that they reach safely on time and in good condition. It seems so ironical that despite fully realizing the value of starting early most people do otherwise.

This principle applies to many other parts of our lives. Some of them are explained briefly as under:

Driving

Many people start late and to compensate for the delay drive fast and rash assuming they will indeed be able to cover up the time deficit. They realize that this strategy doesn't work

Investment

Many people start investing late and to compensate for the delay invest heavily assuming they will indeed be able to cover up the wealth deficit. They realize that this strategy doesn't work. Those with finance background would probably know the reason also - compounding.

Examination

Many students start preparing for their examinations late and to compensate for the delay study day and night assuming they will indeed be able to cover up the knowledge deficit. They realize that this strategy doesn't work.

There are many more examples that can be cited to show why it is important that "If You Want to Reach Safely on Time then Start Early".

What is God?

Humans have relied upon science and technology as a means to answer all whys. However, there is always a "why" at the end of the series of whys for which the explanation is quite simple yet profound "that's the way nature works". This can be understood better with the following illustration.

A ball thrown upwards into the sky falls downwards and hits the earth.

Why downwards? The ball is pulled down by the action of gravity. Gravity is a force exerted by two bodies that pulls them closer, in this case earth and the ball.

Why gravity? Gravity is an inherent characteristic which depends on the mass of the two bodies and the distance between them. Why inherent characteristic? Every mass is composed of atoms which are further composed of electrons, protons, neutrons, etc. The atomic and sub-atomic particles influence the inherent characteristic.

Why influence? That's the way nature works.

Why? The last "why" is where science and technology ends and the concept of God begins. It is possible that humans have answer to another level of why but there will always be that "why" which will remain unanswered.

What then is God? Is God something that can be understood and explained? Is God a physical entity? Is God really for real? These questions have probably no definitive answers. It can however be claimed that God is a concept that transcends physical reality.

Most events that happen to us or happen around us are not controlled by us and depend upon luck or providence. God is a sum effect of all such events. God then is a concept that represents a certain power which is beyond our control. It is humbling to know that almost 100%, practically everything, of what happens to us and what happens around us is beyond our control.

Religions have taken God to a lesser level of abstraction but God being a concept that transcends physical reality cannot really be fully understood and explained through the philosophies underlying the various religions. In a certain sense it can be said that God is and should be beyond comprehension.

How Top Management Can Confuse and Hence Harm the Organization?

Top management can make or break an organization. The control exercised by top management on the following two things has substantial and significant impact on the future and very existence of the organization - organization's direction and resource provisioning.

Organization's Direction

• Others need to go in the direction that is in line with the business strategy conceptualized and articulated by the top management
• Direction could be in various forms:
• Revenue model and gross margin target
• Products and service offerings
• Company policies
• Organization-wide initiatives

Resource Provisioning

• Others are granted resources to perform the assigned activities to achieve the organization's objectives that are linked to the stated business strategy
• Resource could be in various forms:
• Budget allocation
• Expense approvals
• Organization structure and staffing
• Hardware and software resources

Top Management Can Confuse and Harm

At times the top management can cause substantial and significant harm to the organization by confusing others in respect of direction and resource. Here are some examples of this:

• The CEO keeps on telling that an initiative needs to be started urgently but will find one reason and then another to keep on delaying it.
• The CEO announces in a public meeting that "we want the value and will do something in the right way regardless of the time it takes" and then tell the key stakeholders in a private discussion that "come what may the time set needs to be met at any cost"
•  The CEO talks about open culture in every meeting but doesn't encourage direct and tough questions from the employees
• The CEO talks about importance of complying to governance mechanisms and company processes in each and every case, always but is fine with selective exemptions at his level
• The CEO talks about empowerment and meritocracy but defines an organization structure where those reporting into him are his trusted lieutenants
• The CEO talks about engagement and involvement but has a hands-off approach to managing the company affairs with the help of the trusted lieutenants
• The CEO talks about progressive culture and HR practices but allows growth in the organization at a level strictly below the trusted lieutenants

How Can Top Management Avoid Confusing Others

The ways to ensure these are simple and have their basis in what makes a human being a "good human being" and an "effective leader". Here are some such ways:

• Possessing business acumen and strategic clarity
• Being ethical and genuine
• Being competent and well-informed
• Having compassion and care for others

How Top Management and Others Can Work Together Effectively

It must be remembered that the top management and the others are human beings at the end of the day. And hence they have their strengths to play with and weaknesses to guard. The interaction between top management and others should not be in competing mode but collaborative mode.

Working in an organization should not be seen as a cat and mouse game but the coming together of many minds to create something useful for themselves and for the society.