Accident...and the hullaballoo...

Excitement...thats the key word! Want loads of it in my life and got loads of it today.

Picture this...the beautiful (i like to add irrelevant pieces of information) Archu crossing the road in her beautiful wine-red Wagon R, an auto approaching at high speed, the auto swerving to avoid hitting the beauty (rather, the beauties!), the auto toppling!!!! Gathering mob, Archu shivering in car, somehow backing the car, running back home to her husband's arms, explaining things in tears (it could have been just a tear too) and with a shaking voice...hoping that things would end, because no one got hurt, but oh how wrong! Police, arguments, demand for money (money can take care of so much of pain!), sympathisers, advisers, well-wishers, on-behalf-of workers and what not!! Whose interest is being watched and who is watching it??? Confusions!!!

Have been analysing things the whole day. Found it difficult to understand what i could have done better. Should i have stayed backed on the scene? What if I or my car was bashed up? Noone can say. One can only guess. But advises are plenty.

Thought i was a good human being till now, but was made to feel that everyone is blessed with greater quantities of humanitarian feelings today (a lot of people seem to be enjoying challenging my self-concept these days), the autowallah, the policewallah, the rider, the friends, the colleagues, everyone.... People and their opinions can do a lot of things to you, no matter how independent and unaffected you may think you are. Not that I didnt know that. In IIM, I realised the same thing. Really great people are those who retain their confidence when everyone else has given up on them. Would love to meet some like that or better, become like that myself one day. What did Kipling say about that,"...if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you...". Remember a dialogue by Jackie Shroff in some movie i saw long time back. He makes it big from being nothing. Says in an interview, " jab appan kuch bhee nahee tha na, tab bhee saala itna hee confident tha..."

What other lessons?

Like CAT, there is no static strategy to deal with such problems. The strategy should be dynamic, depending on the place, its culture, the people involved, the support system in place etc. Thats where speed comes in. You have to understand everything fast an devise ways and means according to the diktats of the situation.

If there are too many people handling things for you, you might not be able to put in the desired pressure. There has to be one key person leading the pressure and strategising on your behalf. Choose one you trust and be in touch with him directly. Remember, others are only helping you and its ultimately your problem. So please take charge while still feeling grateful for their initiative. If you take charge, you do not in any way show that you are not grateful for their support.

Know the right people to please and appease. Very important. Handle them and your work is done with minimum effort.

Neways, let me tell you what i enjoyed today...

I enjoyed my feelings, though they were hardly pleasant. It was surprising to feel myself shivering and was strange to hear my voice shaking. I like all this stuff about genuine feelings...They are true and truth is very exciting! Remember how excited I get about excitement?

My mind was working and here was something i was really thinking about. Something that could involve me. Involvement also is a great feeling.

I enjoyed the fact that people came to help me, without my asking or expecting anything from them. Thanks a lot people!

Life's experiences, good or bad, are to be treasured and enjoyed and I enjoyed today's experience. It was a different day and i have been looking forward to different days. The beauty of such different days lies in the beautiful anticipation they create for a new, normal day, which otherwise would be just normal...

Level 5 leadership

Like always, in an exasperated tone, I asked my husband, "Why are you so quiet and unassuming? Will this not affect your career in the corporate sector?" With his usual calmness, he opened the book 'Good to Great' by Jim Collins (gifted to us on our marriage anniversary by his friends) and pointed me to the para on Level 5 leadership. Here it goes:

"We were surprised, shocked really, to discover the type of leadership required for turning a good company into a great one. Compared to the high-profile leaders with big personalities who make headlines and become celebrities, the good-to-great leaders seem to have come from Mars. Self-effacing, quiet, reserved, even shy- these leaders are a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. They are more like Lincoln and Socrates than Patton or Caesar."

I was astonished at the above. I don't remember having read that before. Do they not talk about that in MBA schools? If they had, I would have remembered it. Not something that one misses, especially if it is so much applicable to your own life too.

Anyway, I went through the entire piece. I have never doubted that he is placed much higher than me on a personal plane, having virtues which are so adorable and have such a humbling effect on me. But are these very qualities valued on the professional front too? "Level 5 leaders display a workmanlike diligence- more plow horse than show horse." That's exactly like him! How I criticise him for his unmanagerial tendencies!

Good that I came across this. I am going to witness the life of a guy who supposedly falls in the Level 5 leadership category. Hope ten years down the line, I am able to make valuable contributions to the theory (reinforce it, in other words)...:-)

French Men Vs Indian Men

Now, how many women will narrate their experiences of different variety of men? Only those who have not had too much of experience! I like to clear my reputation as I proceed to share my insights, u see...

I also like to be brief and crisp, to save my time as well as everyone else's. My take from the experience: Fundamentally, all men are alike, no matter what the nationality. They are on the look-out for scope and they grab it wherever they find it. The scope may be in any shape and size, it doesnt matter to them (especially when they are drunk).

However, do not miss the chance to dance with a French guy. He is specially artistic in his approach, which makes him enormously seductive and makes you wonder at your own tendencies. All the same, its a worthwhile experience for all daring women. I hope Indian men try and observe the French nuances for better dance performances.

A new name...

Some time back, I got a new name- Saphira. Saphira was a dragon with lovely unfathomable sapphire eyes...and gave its owner Eragon magical powers...

I love this name...its sound, its look and its character, and my Eragon!