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Be True to Your Self

A senior colleague who is also a good friend suggested me to write on ?be true to your self.? I am reminded of the wise words of Chanakya, who said, ?a person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first.?

Sometimes a bit of diplomacy is required. Being true to one self doesn't mean that one should drop his guard. I am not advocating that one should be dishonest because dishonesty will not take you far. Today or tomorrow your true face will come in front of the world and you will become a laughing stock. But one has to be tactful?be honest to yourself, definitely, but be tactful at the same time. Without tact, you run the risk of getting, to use Chanakya's word, "screwed"

Can you be honest with your boss? Can you straight away tell him that he is making a mess of things? Unless you are prepared to lose your job, you will not.

Somehow or the other you will handle the circumstance in a diplomatic way. In this way are you ?being true to your self?? You aren't. Likewise one comes across so many situations where one keeps quiet, ignores, takes no action, etc, even though one is not comfortable.

Sir Winston Churchill rightly said, "never stand so high upon a principle that you cannot lower it to suit the circumstances." Listen to what your conscience says but act as per the situation. I know of many people who have taken a stand ?just to be true to one self? only to regret it later. There are various factors that dictate one?s actions and ?being true to self? is just one of them.

Even Lord Krishna took the route of diplomacy / tact. In the court of Kauravas, verbally he showed that he didn't want the war, but actually he wanted the war to take place, though he never approved telling of lies.

Call a crow a crow as long as it suits you but if it doesn't, then call it a cuckoo, as long as you are not killing the bird, what harm are you doing?

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 10:01:51 PM

English Words

Let Us Have A Look At English Words?And Classify Them As The Prettiest And The Ugliest

The Prettiest

--Ten- Prettiest Words in the English Language (a personal choice) are described herein below

English language has some of the most beautiful words which are a pleasure to hear?in fact they sound so good that one can literally feel a poetic sensation run through the body. Of course, it has some of the ugliest words also

Here are my personal favourites (along with their meanings):

Mellifluous: sweet sounding, melodious Demure: coy, shy and reserved Serendipity: discovering something nice and pleasant while looking for something else Romance: idealized, poetic; love affair; work of literature concerning romantic tales Cynosure: center of attraction Scintillating : sparkle, twinkle; act or talk cleverly Gambol: jump and skip joyfully Elixir: magic potion Fragrance : sweet aroma / smell Vicissitude: change (ups and downs) esp. of fortune

All the 10 words that I have stated above have a distinct flavour; they leave a sweet taste behind when you speak them and a pleasant echo when you hear them.

The Ugliest

- Ten -- Ugliest Words in the English Language ( My son?s personal choice)

Even though there are many beautiful words in the English Language, it is not far behind in terms of grossest sounding / ugly words. Some of them are so repulsive that they leave a bitter taste in your mouth when you speak them and a repugnant (this word finds it way in the list) echo when you hear them.

Here are my personal favourites ? the ten ugliest of all (along with their meanings):

Grotesque: distorted, bizarre -; Harangue: rant Obstreperous: noisy, unruly - Repugnant: distasteful, nauseating --. Pulchritude: physical beauty (even though the meaning is positive, the sound of it grates on the ears) Claustrophobia: fear of being in a crowded/small space . Unctuous: ingratiating, sycophantic--. Cataclysm: flood, catastrophe, upheaval .Visceral: crude. Pedagogue : teacher, school master

Try pronouncing them or ask someone to speak them out to you and then listen carefully to the effect they create on your ears? ? eeks!

Note -But No One Can Beat Mr Shashi Tharoor When It Comes To Vocabulary

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 9:59:34 PM

Ingratitude is Sharper Than A Serpent?s Tooth

INKING LEAR; Shakespeare has labelled ingratitude as sharper than a serpent's tooth. Its cut is the unkindest cut of all. Of all the obnoxious behaviours, the Ugly sharp-toothed Ingratitude is the worst. It is more venomous than the serpent tooth.

We are aware that we have a great many things to be thankful for, yet we remain ungrateful most of the time. The reason being our egoistic temperament. Basically, we are egoistic. It's our arrogance that pulls us back from expressing our grateful thanks to our benefactors. If we are humble we will be grateful; Humility and gratefulness stay together.

Once the renowned educationist and benefactor of the poor, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, was told that someone had abused him. He was surprised and said, "I do not remember having benefited him in any way. Why should he speak ill of me "Only those, whom I help, speak ill of me."

This author (i.e. Safdar Zaidi) too is the victim of this kind of behaviour)

We should discard our false sense of ego and superiority complex. Never forget the people who helped you get to the privileged position you are in. Great people always acknowledge the helping hands . Nobody becomes rich or successful without the help of many along the way. Grateful people always acknowledge those helping hands.

In South Africa in a restaurant, Mahatma Gandhi thanked a waiter for his excellent manner of serving food. The waiter replied, "I shall never forget this sir because in 25 years of my service as a waiter I have not heard a single word of Thanks".

For your overall success in life, apart from knowledge and skill, you also require proper attitude. An attitude of gratitude is undoubtedly of prime importance, it adds irresistible charm to your personality.

Learning Points.

Never forget those who helped you to be at the position you are in
.Gratitude adds irresistible charm to your personality
.Expressing gratitude is more than good manners.

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 5:15:41 PM

"Why Am I Struggling?"

Read the story of the Butterfly that is quite fascinating

There was a little boy who loved caterpillars. One day he found one, took him home, and made a home for him. He watched this caterpillar every day making sure he had plenty of food & water.

One day the caterpillar started creating a cocoon...here he would go through a metamorphosis and become a butterfly. This was so exciting, the little boy couldn't wait to see the butterfly!

One day it happened, a small hole appeared in the cocoon and the butterfly started to struggle to come out. The little boy was so excited! But then he noticed the butterfly was struggling so hard to get out and it looked like the butterfly wasn?t going to be able to break free!

The little boy was so worried for the butterfly that he decided he had to help. He quickly got a pair of scissors and snipped the cocoon to make the hole bigger and the butterfly quickly emerged!

But the butterfly had a swollen body and small shriveled wings. The little boy sat and watched the butterfly expecting that, at any moment, the wings would dry out, get bigger and expand to support the swollen body.

But it never happened!

The butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.

It never was able to fly?

He then learned that the butterfly was supposed to struggle. In fact, the butterfly's struggle to push its way through the tiny opening of the cocoon pushes the fluid out of its body and into its wings. Without the struggle, the butterfly would never, ever fly. The boy's good intentions actually hurt the butterfly.

What an eye-opening lesson that the story provides

Struggling is actually an important part of any growth experience. In fact, it is the struggle that creates YOU and gives you the ability to become the best version of YOU!

When you find yourself struggling ask yourself:

Who am I? Where am I going? What is this situation teaching me?

Chances are...greatness is around the corner!

"Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle."

Napoleon Hill

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us. We will not be as strong as we could have been and we would never fly. I have asked for strength? and life has provided me with hardships, in order to make me strong.

(Note: This is a story picked up from Google Search?there is no contribution from me as the story is inspiring and gels with my motivational write-ups I thought to have it tagged with my motivational write-ups where Anuska feels it is relevant. The story is in the public domain and there doesn't seem to be any copyright is sue )

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 5:14:03 PM

Take Criticism as Veiled Admiration

Criticism is a veiled admiration. If you are being criticised you are being taken notice of. Take it as praise and admiration. Criticism also implies you could be wrong, But don't get perturbed by the criticism hurled at you.

If someone hurts you by his obnoxious criticism don't be upset? Are trees laden with sweet fruits are beaten more often?

Whenever somebody criticises you in any way, take it as advice and thank him/her sincerely for sharing his/her opinion with you whether you agree or don't agree.

Don't take criticism as failure which it is not. It can inspire you to become a better person.

Take it as an impetus to introspect and reflect. Remember if you are not being criticised you are perhaps not doing anything worthwhile. Use criticism as fuel to energise you to engage in whatever you are doing more passionately. Don't let it get on you; don't let it distract you.

However, if you want to avoid criticism, follow what Aristotle said, "say nothing, do nothing, be nothing". But this advice should not be taken seriously. Don't follow it at all. Be careful when you criticise. While you are criticising someone, take a lesson from the following and remember it and choose and use your words? carefully.

It is strange that SWORDS and WORDS have the same letters, even more, strange is that they have the same effect if not handled properly?

Once an old man spread rumours about his neighbour a young man that he was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested. However, he was found not guilty by the court and released. The man had felt humiliated. He filed a defamation suit against the old man.

When the old man was produced in the court, -he told the Judge, "what I said were just comments with no intention to harm anyone? The judge, before passing the sentence orders, told the old man"; Write all the things you said about him on a piece of paper. Tear them up into pieces and on the way back home, throw the pieces of paper out. Tomorrow, come back to hear the sentence orders?

The next day, the judge told the old man? Before receiving the Sentence, you will have to go out and gather all the pieces of paper that you threw out yesterday? The old man said I can't do that! The wind must have blown them away and I won't know where to find them?

The judge then replied? In the same way, simple comments made by you or by anybody else may destroy the honour of a man to such an extent that one is not able to retrieve it. The old man realized his mistake and asked for forgiveness?

So be very careful; Your words may ruin someone's reputation without any fault of theirs.

The greatest foolishness is exaggeration in praise and criticism, says Imam Ali( as) Taking a cue from this Dale Carnegie-Author quips. Any fool can criticize, complain, and condemn and most fools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving.

Key Take Away

Do not get annoyed if someone criticises,
Take criticism as praise and as a gift for you
Consider it as impetus. it can empower you to become a better person. It is energiser
Never criticise anyone before thinking- Do it never in front of others. As Imam Ali says-- Do not criticize too much, too much criticism leads to hate and bad behaviour.

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 5:12:12 PM

Money Laundering

Money laundering is a crime. It is a big business. The primary purpose of organized crime is profit. It is so often said that crime does not pay, but it is not always true. The fact is that crime can pay and it does pay if the criminals are able to convert their criminally generated money into seemingly clean money.

The vast majority of criminal dealings are done in cash. Like any other business, the criminals also want to enjoy and reinvest their profit. However, profit close to the origin is risky and vulnerable to being caught, therefore the need arises to take the money as far away as possible from the source of origin where the chances of detection and prosecution remain and get the dirt of illegality removed from the money so as to look clean? seemingly clean.

It is illegal money that needs to be cleaned before it can be spent legally. Criminals need to find ways to dispose of it and have it look like a part of their wealth with as remote a chance as possible of it being traced back to the cash element. Criminals have to use the financial system and banks in particular to do this. One of the worst white-collar crimes is Money Laundering.

It is a service that allows criminals to make their crimes pay and pay well. It is the criminals? the practice of filtering ill-gotten money. Banks are the channel through which much of the dirty money enters the legitimate financial system. Estimates vary about the scale of Money Laundering activities that pass through the world's financial system, but it is estimated to be between $300 billion and $500 billion a year equivalent to about half of Britain's GPP.

IMF has estimated that about 2% - 5% of the global output is laundered annually? that most of this occurs in banks. It is estimated that more than US $1 trillion in illegal funds is circulating worldwide. These illegal funds originate from criminal activities like drug trafficking, bank fraud, etc. Individuals, as well as business organizations, can conceal and make illegitimate funds appear legitimate through a process known as money laundering.

Banks attract criminals because of the wide range of services they provide and the instruments that can be used for concealing the source of questionable funds. There has been considerable focus on anti-money laundering initiatives after the 9/11 terror attack.

As a result, many countries and international organizations have united to fight the menace of money laundering. One of the most prominent organizations set up for this purpose is Financial Action Task Force (FATF). It has made recommendations for the development of sound anti-money laundering programs.

Saiyid posted in Informational

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 5:07:11 PM

Tales of grit, determination and glory

What does it take to make it big in life?

A bit of inspiration
zeal to not drift away
, the magic potion of immense hard-wor And of course

some incredible courage.

And hardships, too, have a major say in defining who we choose to become. It is no wonder that Ruskin Bond did odd jobs to fuel his passion for writing; Captain Gopinath hadn't worn shoes till he was a teenager; Johnny Lever earned his first rupee by grinding chutney at a dhaba; Sridhar Vembu, CEO of networking firm Zoho, longed for space in a small house; choreographer Remo D'Souza often dreamed big even when he washed dishes, and Jyothi Reddy, CEO of IT company Key Software Solutions, dreamed of flying even when she worked for Rs 5 a day as a daily laborer.

Prachi Raturi Misra, in her book, 'I Did It ? Exceptional stories of people who made it large', published by Times Group Books, the publishing division of The Times of India Group. jots down the struggle stories of 18 people from humble backgrounds who achieved success in life through immense grit and hard work.

Author Ruskin Bond at the launch of the book in Mussoorie said, "Never despair and, if you do, work on in despair. The book has some very interesting stories and it's lovely to be in the august company of some others who have shown what it takes to never give up!"

All the people mentioned in the book suffered reverses, got demotivated several times but didn't lose that flicker of hope. "The book looks at sharing these powerful motivational stories about fighting tough situations to chase one's dreams and aspirations," says Raturi.

Now this Writer -Safdar Zaidi is no exception. He -Comes from a sleepy nondescript village in eastern Utter Pradesh He used to commute up and down 6 to 8 kms distance to the school and colleges on foot.

Village had no transport, electricity and medical facilities I studied throughout under the light a kerosene fuelled lantern-. Up to 12, the standard my medium of instruction was Hindi-It always generated a feeling of uneasiness-In my book Failure is a knock on the door of success I have described in great detail how I became a very professional communicator and presenter-in English language and also became an author in English-My book Anti Money Laundering -Anti terrorism Financing and Know your customer -Bankers Handbook was the best book adjudged by the practicing Bankers-Failure is a knock on the door of success is my latest book and reveals the path riddled with speed-breakers; bumps and? roadblocks I walked on to achieve what I did.

In spite of all these, I remain a village boy and carry the traces of village culture -And I Feel proud? I have mentioned about in in The Blog __Remember Where from you Come from

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 5:04:38 PM

Organisational Culture

Organizational culture is the collection of values, , and practices that guide the actions of all team members. It is the collection of traits that make an organisation what it is. A great culture exemplifies positive traits that lead to improved performance,

A credible organization will have a culture will have the following components

Teamwork
Customer focus
Fair treatment of employees
Initiative
Innovation

Recipe For Organisational Success

Management in any organization needs to manage the following elements in such a way as to reinforce each other.

1. Vision: What the organization is seeking to be or to achieve

2. Strategy: The ways this vision can be translated into reality.

3. Structure: The way people are organized to implement the strategy.

4. Systems: The way people in the organization plan, decide control, monitor day-to-day operations.

5. Staffing and skills: The way in which the critical resource " People in the organization is acquired, trained, developed, motivated and rewarded

6 Style : The way the organization does things and its members

relate to each other

This is necessary for the organization to muster all its resources to march successfully on the road to achieve what it has envisioned to be.

Successful achievement involves more than taking the right decision. It involves " successful implementation ".

Organization as a System:

Organization's ability to serve its customers is affected by the rapidly changing environment.

The organization system is conceptualized on two levels:

1.Internal Environment

Internally the organization can be viewed as a Resource conversion machine that takes inputs (labor, money, materials, and equipment) from the external environment ( ie the outside world), converts them into useful goods, and services and makes them available to customers as outputs. It includes all the elements within an organization's boundaries that are under the control of management.

2. External Environment

It involves all outside institutions and forces that have an impact on the organization's ability to achieve its objectives; competitive, economic, technological, political, legal, demographic, cultural system. it includes all the forces outside an organization's boundaries that are not under the control of management.

Competition-

Organizations that offer similar products/ services.

Cultural Forces-

Institutions and market forces that affect society's basic values,

perceptions, preferences and behaviours.

Demographics-

Size, diversity, location, age, race and occupation of human population.

Economic Factors

Factors that affect customer purchasing power and spending positions.

Globalization

Is viewing market as a part of the worldwide economy... Globalization affects how organizations are managed. Managers must learn to deal effectively with multiple cultures and systems in the midst of rapidly changing markets and technology.

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 5:01:06 PM

Achieving Success -

Accept and embrace your uniqueness. You are special and unique, Your Uniqueness defines your personality and Projects what you are.

Your Biggest Asset is Yourself Nothing can bring you success but yourself. Napoleon Hill

Any definition of success should be personal

It's about shaping my own destiny.? Anita Roddick Success Formula

3 Ps form a formidable combination of Success These Ps are Patience, persistence, and perspiration
Success is all about having the right mindset
View everyone around you as a teacher; from some, seek to learn what not to do and from others, what to do
To remain motivated, be deaf to people who keep saying to you that it can't be done. Block Naysayers
The most practical, beautiful, workable philosophy in the world won't work? if you want Zig Ziglar (1926 2012)
To march on the path of success you have to know what you are ----Starting Point-
Knowing the starting point will enable you to navigate to the Next Destination

Now develop a Proactive Vision of what you want to be VISION is critical

Strategize how to fill the gap between where you are and what you want to STRATEGY is crucial

And synergize it with what you do Once you are clear about what you are

Decide what you want to be Spend some time alone every day.
What's the mission of my life? What do I want to be? And how to go about it.
Do not Fear The Fear Develop an attitude of? feel the fear and do it anyway?
Realize that when you feel like giving up, you may just be inches away from the winning line
Expect great things from yourself and then put in the hard work needed to meet those expectations
Dare to dream big and to do what is required to turn it into a reality
Winners Never Quit, and Quitters Never Win.
Developing a strong belief in yourself and your abilities will provide a firm foundation to achieve success
Self-trust is the first secret of success.
?Failure is the ability to go from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm? Churchill summed it up

Each miss is learning

Failure is success if we learn from it. - Malcolm Forbes
Only in movies do people get things right effortlessly the first
Don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone. - Bill Cosby
As you move along the Plan, maintain an alternative course to rely upon

Success Drivers are Integrity, Passion, Patience, Competence Vision, Humility, Decisiveness, Persistence

Integrity is about being straight, keeping values paramount Personal integrity is crucial. Tell nothing but the truth. if you lie, you're gone.
Passion: it is about a clear sense of purpose, dedication to excellence We can't wait for someone to make us Passionate Always remember that the secret of success is Passion. Always think big. You'll never reach your full potential at a job that you? re not passionate about. A great job is one in which you are profoundly satisfied with what you do .-
"It may seem daunting and too far away, but it's the passion for the work that will drive you to endure whatever hardship is required to make it work."

Success Derailers are Greed, Arrogance, Vanity, hatred, lack of self-esteem, Missed opportunity

Opportunities pass away like the cloud, therefore make use of good opportunities
To make haste before proper time or to delay after proper opportunity, in either case, it is folly

Lack of self-esteem He who does not KNOW his own worth gets ruined

Vanity: Vanity prevents progress
Hatred-: Hatred bocks progress
For a person who strives for excellence, one's own satisfaction is often more valuable than others? appreciation

Don't talk negatively about people behind their backs.
If you gossip, people won't confide in you.
Mind your own business.

Be on time. Try to arrive a few minutes early. It saves you from stress. You'll be much relaxed & work better Strive your best to keep a deadline.
Don't take things personally

If some people are unhappy with you, it's their problem.
If you must correct someone, don't get personal about it. Do it never in front of Others

Points to Remember

Never stop being bold, and curious (Columbus would not have achieved what he did )

Never criticize before thinking
There is no such thing as a stupid question
Be tenacious, Unrelenting, passionate and thorough

It is never too late to learn
If you are convinced about something, you should stand by it no matter what anyone says. All it takes is Belief and some Spine

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 4:57:49 PM

Jealousy -Green- Eyed Monster

Green-Eyed Monster is an expression Shakespeare used in Othello for jealousy. Othello, dark-skinned, having married a woman of unparalleled beauty and nobility, always felt unworthy of her. He lacked self-esteem. His lack of self-esteem was further exploited by the villain, Iago, who insinuated that Desdemona (Othello's wife) was cheating on him and was unfaithful.

Iago would say:

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

the meat it feeds on;

This was an obvious goad to enrage Othello and make him more jealous so that he would do what he did. Othello's jealousy swelled so much and became so intensely malicious and powerful that it led him to murder his beloved wife.

To illustrate this point further I summarise here below TOI report dated 30th July 2019.

Times of India in its Mumbai edition of 30 July 2019 carried a report that an A-Class VIII girl student was reportedly sedated and sexuality violated for a period of 2 years on a government school campus in Sitapur district of UP. The alleged perpetrators involved in this obnoxious act are four cousins of the girl who stayed with her in joint family and a teacher the accomplice. The girl was very good at her studies. She always excelled and stood first in her class , The cousins who were not good at their studies and always flunked their classes got jealous of her and their resentment became so strong that they wanted to humiliate her and cut her to size.

It is a perfect example of a person being driven by Jealousy to such an extent that he would ensure the target of the jealousy is abused ,shamed and eliminated. And this is what the four cousins in the complicity of the teacher did with the girl. Abusers have been arrested but that does not take away the hurt inflicted.

What Othello and the four cousins did is the monstrous face of jealousy. They acted like a demon. This is what jealousy drives a man to.

Don't let this green-eyed monster take the reins. Don't let it overpower you. It will cripple you. It will destroy your personality. It will cloud your thinking. AND it will hurt and destroy your soul and make you do horrendous acts out of jealousy.

How devastating effect, the emotion jealousy can have on a jealous person is so beautifully expressed by Mr. Nadeem Farrukh a renowned Urdu poet in his following couplet

---Jis din meray Urooj Ki us ney khabar sunee--

--Us din sey us ka zehani tawazun bigad gaya-

A rough translation is as under

The day he came to know of my elevation /exaltation;

From the same day, he lost his mental balance.

So stay away from this soul poisoning emotion

Learning points

Curb your jealousy
Crush your negative thoughts that breed resentment
Jealousy is negative, jealousy is destructive, jealousy is demotivator, it is a killer monster
Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little---Gore Vidal? this is jealousy
Every time a friend succeeds, I find out what skills he has that led him to achieve success ?I will try to acquire these skills? this is envy. Let envy become and remain a spur for excellence.

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 4:53:41 PM

How To Be A hero To your Customers

Adam Toporek, Customer experience expert, and keynote speaker believes all customer service employees can be heroes. He is the author of Be Your Customer's Hero, a book that shows anyone how they can be a hero to their customers. This write up is based on his book and his interactions with some customer service providers- read on

He says, "Countless customer service employees have told me they can't be a hero. According to them, their job doesn't allow it."

I'm a cashier/receptionist/call center rep/etc.," they say. "There is hardly ever an opportunity to be a hero to customers. Most of my interactions are routine."

In a discussion on how to apply the concepts from his book, he explains,? A hero is someone who is there when you need them?

Here are a few of the topics raised in the discussion.

What is a customer hero?
Can you be a hero to every customer?
What is the difference between proactive and reactive service?
How can employees be heroes when they aren't empowered?

What is a customer hero?

"A customer hero is someone who is there when you need them,"

"I once left my iPad in an airport restaurant. The server found my device and sprinted through the terminal after me, handing me the iPad just as I reached my gate. That was definitely a hero moment.

For example, airport restaurant servers often wait on guests who have a tight timeline to eat before catching a flight. "The hero," says Toporek, "is the waiter or waitress who actually takes note of that, speeds up your order, makes sure they expedite it in the kitchen, checks in with you multiple times, and then proactively brings you.

He explains--Think about situations where you can anticipate a customer's needs, and proactively address them. It doesn't have to be a major moment or a rare occasion. All you have to do is be there for someone when they need you.

Can you be a hero to every customer?

Realistically? Probably not. But that shouldn't stop you from trying.

Remember that a hero is someone who is there when they are needed. We have the ability to do more for our customers than we realize.

You can be friendly.
You can be attentive.
You can anticipate issues.
You can use your expertise to guide customers.
You can follow up and close the loop.

What is the difference between proactive and reactive service?

Proactive service means doing things to anticipate problems and avoid them, something Toporek calls "forward resolving." Reactive service involves reacting to a customer's request.

.How can employees be heroes when they aren't empowered?

Employees definitely face a lot of barriers when serving customers.

They might lack resources and training, or have no incentives that encourage them to work in customer's best interests. But Toporek suggests employees can still be attentive.

"A lot of being the hero is personal accountability and personal awareness," says Toporek. "You can always do that."

According to Toporek, being attentive frequently uncovers opportunities to serve that might otherwise be missed. "Do as much as you can, up to your level of empowerment."

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 4:50:53 PM

A Conversation with an Ant ? (about management)

Eh you, I called out to the ant scurrying away. It was carrying a piece of grain in its mouth; probably weighing double its weight.

The ant paused for a while and without keeping the grain on the floor looked up at me as if asking? what the hell do you want? Can't you see how busy I am??

"I know you are the busiest creature in the animal kingdom," I said.

The ant dropped the grain on the floor and took some deep breaths. If I would have done that, probably it would have been blown away in a jiffy. Coolly it asked, "What is it that you wish to know from me"

"I wish to know why you never rest. Why are you always running about" You are so busy that I never see you relaxing.?

The ant smiled at me and said, "I will share my management mantra with you."

My curiosity was aroused. Learning is learning whether it comes from an ant or from a lion. So I said, "Ok, tell me about it?"

In a conspiratorial tone it said (I had to lie down flat on the ground to hear), This piece of grain that you saw me carrying is the same one that I have been carrying for a year now. You have to create the impression that you are doing something. So when I lug the grain around, those who are watching me think that I am busy. In reality, I am not. I keep on rushing around from here and there to convey to others the message that I am too much occupied.?

Then winking, it hurried away, opening in the process my eyes to what truly happens in the corporate world.

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 31, 2021 4:47:21 PM

Ants are sensitive to success and failure

Be selectively lazy and succeed: Follow the work ethic of fire ants

* Ants are renowned for their industriousness. The Secret to Ant Efficiency Is Idleness? Ants don't tend to get in traffic jams. They might butt heads (or antennae) momentarily as they go about their industrious business, but ants somehow have mastered the art of keeping things moving. They're geniuses of flow.

Another striking thing about ants is that some of them just sit around doing nothing. This has also been noticed in other social insects, such as bees. When ants build a nest, some of them just sit around, inert, lazy, and seemingly useless.

The researchers found that ants are more successful when they are selectively industrious. They use idleness to their advantage. Quitting has its virtues.

Researchers have noted that. When an individual ant tries to do something, such as obtain food or dig a tunnel and is successful, she keeps doing it with extraordinary vigour and endurance.

But when she fails, such as getting stymied while trying to enter a tunnel, she will quit and become inert.

New research suggests that relatively simple rules govern this behavior.

* There's positive feedback between how successful an ant is and her tendency to repeat the task? said Ofer Feinerman, a physicist who studies ants?

The above is extracted from an Article? How to be selectively Lazy and Succeed. Follow the work Ethic of Fire ants? Published - in Washington post and carried by Gulf News _31 st Aug 2018.

My comment: I have not made any change in the original except picking up a portion relevant to this topic. Here selective laziness would mean taking regular breaks in the course of doing work. That will sustain and enhance productivity.

As rightly said I -am not Lazy, I am on Energy-saving mode _Anonymous

Message: Be selectively lazy and succeed: Follow the work ethic of fire ants

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 28, 2021 1:25:07 AM

Forge your own path

Follow your own path, no matter what people say Karl Max

Do not allow others to make your path for you. It is your road and yours alone, others may walk it with you but no one can walk it for you

One person's concept of success might not necessarily apply to your own concept. For some people, there's no greater success than having a family and supporting one's children while they grow up. Others measure their success based on their ability to make this world a better place. These perceptions of success are absolutely fine and quite beautiful.

A person's definition of success is always quite individual and a very unique thing. Therefore, it would be a great mistake to try copying another person's ideas about success in your own life. Don?t try to copy another person's accomplishments. You may draw inspiration from them. Don't chase other people?s dreams. Instead, try to forge your own path. Have the courage to discover what success truly means to you and how the whole concept of being successful applies to your own situation, circumstances, and life.

Accept yourself and your actions. Own your thoughts. Speak up when wrong and apologise. Know your path at all times . To do this you must know yourself inside and outside, accept your strengths as well as your shortcomings and grow each day with honesty ,integrity, compassion and ,faith

A popular definition of success is being able to live your life the way you want, doing only those things that you want to do with the people you choose and the situation you desire

Buddha says: No one saves us but we, No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path?

Keep moving, don't change your path. Keep in mind what-Abraham Lincoln has said ? Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing?.

Learning points:

Don't allow others to chart your path. KNOW your path at all times
Don't allow discouragements from others to sink your faith in yourself
Draw inspiration from high achievers

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 27, 2021 1:20:03 PM

Failure to success -- A story worth a read

Mohammad Aamir Ali ( A Jamia Millia Islamia Student - Delhi

Jamia Millia Islamia student Mohammad Aamir Ali.s story is of the kind that would eventually be a legend for future generations. He made history by bagging ₹70 lakh per annum job in the U.S. His project on electric vehicles caught the attention of a united-based firm Frisson Motor Werks.

Despite scoring well in Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) school board examinations, Mohammad Aamir Ali failed to get admission to a BTech course for three consecutive years. After the first failed attempt, he took admission to JMI's Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. This was followed by two more unsuccessful attempts for admission to a BTech course.

Despite his failures, he did not give up on his passion. Amir's passion for science and technology led him to work on a project on electric vehicles. The project caught the attention of a United States-based firm and the student bagged a job as a battery management system engineer at Frisson Motor Werks at Charlotte in North Carolina at an annual package of $1,00,000 (approximately ₹70 lakh). The university said this is the highest salary package for any Diploma in Engineering student at JMI since its inception.

His father Shamshad Ali, an electrician at JMI, said, Aamir would ask questions on the functioning of electrical equipment and electricity that even I could not answer despite being an electrician. I always told him to work hard. I am very happy for him today.?

Speaking about his project, Aamir said, Electric vehicles are my passion. Lack of charging infrastructure is the basic problem faced by electric vehicles in India. If I succeed in my research, the cost of charging electric vehicles will become nearly zero.?

His professors and guidance counselors at JMI were so impressed with his project that they got his work uploaded on the university website. Frisson Motor Werks learned about Aamir's project through the university website and approached JMI. After one month of communication via social media platforms, Skype, and rounds of telephonic interviews, the company decided to hire Aamir as a battery management system engineer, said JMI placement officer Rihan Khan Suri.

(Write- up is based on Reports in some newspapers and Google search)

Remember? Successful People keep on getting hits, but they refuse to go down. Do the hits never stop? learn to take a punch and keep coming back for more.

Learning Points

If you fail you are not a failure
Failure is the price you pay for success
Success comes from moments of frustrations
If you want to succeed, be ready for failure
Despite failures? do not give up on your passion
It is not our destiny but attitude and thought processes that define our life

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 26, 2021 12:30:02 PM

Charisma by itself serves no purpose

There are many who are charismatic but they use it for for selfish and foolish exploits. Saddam Hussain and Idi Amin among many orders are stark example of it. Natural charisma is a gift that can benefit those with positive intentions. Those who lack charisma can work on boosting it with focus and hard work.

Whatever may be the level of your charisma you will need to understand it and develop it to achieve successfully what your preferred aim or objective is. Here below I am sharing with you the readers some insights on the positives and negatives of charisma (refer to my write up tagged) from some of the most charismatic thought leaders. If you want to develop your charisma read what they say and follow their words and accomplish much more.

"Charisma becomes the undoing of leaders. It makes them inflexible, convinced of their own infallibility, unable to change." --Peter Drucker -History throws up many names in this category-(Hitler Saddam )
"Charisma without character is postponed calamity." --Peter Ajisafe (Hitler, Saddam Husain)
There aren't many strong or charismatic candidates today, because most people can't withstand the scrutiny." --Tom Ford
. "But charisma only wins people's attention. Once you have their attention, you have to have something to tell them." --Daniel Quinn- Mahatma Gandhi is an example
"Throw away those books and cassettes on inspirational leadership. Send those consultants packing. Know your job, set a good example for the people under you and put results over politics. That's all the charisma you'll really need to succeed." --Dyan Machan (Late R.K Talwar Chairman SBI and M.V.Kamth former chairman ICICI BANK )
"How can you have charisma" Be more concerned about making others feel good about themselves than you are making them feel good about you." --Dan Reiland

. " It is the crowning virtue of the strong, the refuge of the weak, the modesty of the proud, the pride of the humble, the prudence of the wise, and the sense of fools." --Charles de Gaulle
"Charisma is not just saying hello. It's dropping what you're doing to say hello."--Robert Brault
"Being negative is like spraying yourself with anti-charisma." --Karen Salmonsohn
"Being a leader gives you charisma. If you look and study the leaders who have succeeded, that's where charisma comes from, from the leading." --Seth Godin
"We need less posturing and more genuine charisma. Charisma was originally a religious term, meaning 'of the spirit' or 'inspired.' It's about letting God's light shine through us. It's about a sparkle in people that money can't buy. It's an invisible energy with visible effects. To let go, to just love, is not to fade into the wallpaper. Quite the contrary, it's when we truly become bright. We're letting our own light shine." --Marianne Williamson
"Charisma is the transference of enthusiasm." --Ralph Archbold
"Charisma is the fancy name given to the knack of giving people your full attention." --Robert Brault
"The reason we're successful, darling- My overall charisma, of course." --Freddy Mercury

Happy reading Dear readers

Saiyid posted in Charismatic Leadership

Post updated on: Aug 25, 2021 10:57:40 PM

Be Committed... to your goals and dreams

If you've set a goal, go all out and achieve it. If you've laid down a plan, stick to it all through the way. Don't waver, for that's not in the committed person to do so. You always have two choices, your commitment vs. your fear. Commitment will push you forward, and fear will pull you back. Strengthen commitment and Eliminate fear.

When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when you want to do it and when it is convenient to you. But when you are committed to something, you accept no excuses, you want results and you do it come what may.

Whatever you do, wherever you do, do it with passion, courage and commitment. Be intense in your passion. Work without passion is stressful. It creates undue stress and empty achievement. It is the passion that strengthens your commitment. It is the fear that weakens your commitment. Kick the fear out of your mind and then enjoy the fruits of commitment. As the American author John Maxwell put it "Dreams don't work unless you work" So work with passion that energizes your commitment and drives away your fear Commitment energizes. Remember your strength springs from the energy that commitment provides .Very few people walk on the road to success without the road being punctured a few times It is the strength of commitment to task that sails them through.

Learning points

You can't achieve what you are not committed to
Whatever you are committed do it with passion
Don't let fear frighten your remain committed

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 25, 2021 1:07:23 AM

Learn from mistakes

Learn from mistakes so they are not repeated. While reading the book "What The CEO Really wants From You" 2012 Edition by Mr Gopal Krishnan ,I found on page 196 a para captioned "Learn from your and other mistakes", Towards the end of the Para he quotes from the psychology department of the university of Pennsylvania a small dialogue about making mistakes and learning that reads as under

Q What is the secret of your success?

A-Two Words

Q What are they?

A, Right decisions

Q How do you make right decisions?

A One word

Q what is that?

A Experience

Q How do you get Experience?

A Two words

Q what are they?

A. Wrong decisions

This is how you learn from mistakes. Mistake is teacher, it teaches you a lesson that's the base for your experience. Dr Marguerite Theophil Master speaking Tree., has put it so aptly. "Making mistakes is not a big deal as long as you learn from them and avoid repeating them"

Making mistake is natural, Your Mistakes do not define your Failure As a matter of fact it is a price you pay for your achievements. Own up your mistake. One who has realistic mindset will always get inspired by his mistake and take it as an opportunity to learn and improve and ensure that it is not repeated.

How apt is what Mahatma Gandhi said - Confession of errors is like a broom which sweeps away the dirt and leaves the surface brighter and clearer.

Once you own up your mistake you will feel relaxed and with relaxed mind it will be easier for you to take steps to ensure that the same mistake is not repeated.

Any man can make mistakes but only idiot persists in his error. Macus tullius cicero - Roman statesman and writer. During my working life I observed some of my colleagues perfectly willing to take responsibility for a mistake committed but they continued making similar mistakes again and again. That showed an unwillingness to truly learn from mistakes. The real learners are those who can capitalize on their mistakes

Learning points

The people who don?t make mistakes are the people who don?t do anything
Your ego prevents you from accepting your mistake

A mistake is valuable if you do the following things with it

Recognize it
Admit it
Learn from it
Forget it

Mistake is teacher, it teaches you a lesson that's the base for your experience. Own up to your mistakes and ensure these are not repeated.

Saiyid posted in Motivational blogs

Post updated on: Aug 25, 2021 1:05:05 AM

Don't Compromise on Integrity, Honesty and Trust

Integrity is the quality of being honest and fair .One of the major reasons of failures has been observed to be lack of integrity and character. Never compromise on values

Brain Tracy says - Always guard your integrity as a sacred thing. He also says that trust is the glue to hold all relationships together and trust is based on Integrity. And integrity is telling the truth even if the truth is ugly.

Ethics in decision making should always take precedence over desperation to win, within any organization the onus is on the leader to spearhead the strategy well within the boundaries of ethics and integrity.

Integrity should be the hallmark of your character. If you are not a moral and ethical person, you really have nothing even if you have all the money in the world. Remember once trust is lost, it is very difficult to win it back. So, work hard to maintain it.

Speak with honesty, Think with sincerity, Act with integrity

I look for three things while hiring, integrity, intelligence, High energy level. If you don't have the first(i.e .Integrity), the other two will kill you. Warren Buffet

If someone says -I trust you- it is the best compliment that you can receive from any one, it is certainly a better compliment than someone saying I love you

The Story of A king who adhered to the value of integrity very religiously .

While writing on value of integrity, one among many stories that cropped up in my mind is that of a king, the staunch adherent to the value of integrity. Integrity was a very important element of his character and, the hall mark of his personality. He could give up all but not the integrity. Subjects of his kingdom loved and adored him for his noble qualities. 'One day the king noticed a beautiful queen like woman coming out of the palace and leaving, the king checked her and asked who she was and where she was going. She replied, she was the goddess of success, and by her temperament, she could not stay at one place for longer period. As in your palace she had stayed the longest so she was leaving, the king felt unhappy but let her go... After a few days the king again saw a pretty woman coming out of the palace and leaving.

On inquiry the woman told she was the goddess of wealth and she could not stay at a place where her sister goddess of success was not there, so leaving. The king felt dejected but allowed her to go. It so happened that not many days after the king spotted another elegant lady leaving the palace, the king asked who she was and where she was going. She replied she was the goddess of name and fame and she could not stay at a place where success and wealth did not stay ,hence she was leaving .The king felt aggrieved and had no choice but to let her go , now again a pretty woman was spotted leaving the palace ,the king called her back and asked who she was and why she was leaving. The woman replied she was the goddess of Integrity; the king got disheartened to know that she was also leaving. With tearful eyes he beseeched her not to leave as he could live without wealth, name , fame and success but could not live without integrity, so don't leave me.

The goddess of integrity was moved and decided to stay back. Soon thereafter the goddess of success returned to the palace and told the king she stayed where her sister Integrity stayed. The other two goddesses also followed soon thereafter.

Integrity is the most important ingredient of success. Embrace integrity, tell the truth even if it is unpalatable and watch success, wealth, and name and fame kissing your feet and crowning your head.

For sustainable success Follow and believe "honesty is the best policy"

Learning points