December 2020 ISSUE 67 mpac INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND CREATIVE THINKING A JOURNALI FOR MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALST

Page 4 Greetings from IMPACT

mpac INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND CREATIVE THINKING A JOURNALI FOR MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALST

EDITORIAL TEAM

Dr. N.V Subbaraman Dear Readers, “Kalki” V Murali Finally, we have come to the 12th month of the year 2020. The whole Dr M G Bhaskar world is sighing with relief about this year coming to an end. The entire world experienced an excruciating pain in all fronts because of an invisible virus, which shook the mighty nations and the mighty organizations like United Nations, World Organization, EXPERT ADVISORY UNESCO and the ilk. crashed in many countries. The invisible virus made the mightier nations to shiver and close down their BOARD borders and the entire operations, not knowing what to do? Dr. R Rangarajan The die-hards and the incorrigible optimists became the heroes and Professor & Head they came out with another jargon “ The New Normal ”! The east Dept. of Commerce became the source of inspiration because of their traditional University of Madras to the west. The forgotten ancient daily habits were ploughed out and became the daily hygiene mantra for everyone to follow.

Dr. R Krishnaveni The truly Indian philosophies, “Simple living and high thinking”, “ Live long, along with the Nature” , “Self discipline and maintain personal Assistant Professor hygiene”, became the topics of discussions in many nations. Head Department of English Government Arts and Science College Our Indian “Namaste” became the hallmark of greeting. With that Palladam, Tirupur (Dist) Namaste, let us all welcome the New Year 2021 with folded hands and pray the almighty to bring back the cheer and joy! Editorial Team

All opinions expressed in the articles appearing in the e-journal IMPACT, are that of the respective authors. The Publisher or Editor of IMPACT cannot be held responsible / liable in any manner whatsoever for any claims and / or damages.

2 ImpacT December 2020 INSIDE

Mentor (a Buddy) – A Key To Career Advancement — ‘It’s a Miracle’: Helsinki’s Radical Dr. S. Jeyachandran 4 Solution to Homelessness — 7

Lost Opportunities and Wasted “ The Curse Gone Wrong” ! — Pandemic-Proof Your Efforts-A Tale — Dr. H.V. Hande 11 Habits — 12 Mr. N V Subbaraman 16

Helpful Tips On Decision Is Corona Virus a Blessing Making !! — in Disguise? — Innovative Participation — Mr. Rajendra Deshpande 20 Mr. Venugopal 22 Mr. Jayprakash B. Zende 28 Mentor (a Buddy) – A Key To Career Advancement

ecent Harvard Business Review reports: While an individual may learn a great deal on their “people with mentors perform better, own, having a mentor is a truly invaluable asset. advance in their careers faster, and even For one thing, this type of relationship offers a Rexperience more work-life satisfaction. But many more in-depth, one-on-one opportunity to learn people don’t know how to find a mentor…” about a new role. A new hire can read a litany of guidelines and resource materials, but a mentor Definition brings the words to life; they convey exactly how things are put into practice, and provide insight on According to Wikipedia, mentoring is ‘a how to succeed. A mentor will also need to know relationship in which a more experienced or a mentee’s unique learning process. That is, they’ll more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less need to understand exactly what will make the job a experienced or less knowledgeable person….It is challenge for them and what will come easily. With a learning and development partnership between these clarifications, mentor may provide an ideal someone with vast experience and someone who roadmap for his mentee’s unique journey. During wants to learn.’ the process, not only will mentor help individuals grow, but the process allows him an opportunity to Mentoring, at its simplest level, is a relationship that further develop his own talent. offers a relaxed and helpful additional perspective to someone who is looking to grow and develop Many of us can point to an influential person their skills. who has helped us shape our life. Mentorship doesn’t need to be formal for a less experienced person to learn from a more experienced one. And for the most part, it isn’t. It happens naturally when developers work together and collaborate. These mentors have worked behind the scenes with us, generously sharing their time, expertise, and insights to nurture our potential, keep us on track, and help us grow — often personally and professionally. Leadership Coach John C Maxwell endorses this saying ‘One of the greatest values of a mentor is the ability to see ahead what others cannot see and to help you navigate a course to your destination’

4 ImpacT December 2020 to do with the value of a mentor?” He says: People will value a mentor based on their point of view, their level of information and their belief in having a mentor. But that doesn’t change the fact that a mentor is priceless.

It is said “Mentors are wisdom keepers,” and after all “What is wisdom? It’s the combination of knowledge and experience.”

Benefits of Mentorship Value of a Mentor - Story Several studies, including a meta-analysis of Whatever you are in pursuit of, either a study or mentoring research in the Journal of Vocational a professional career or business, it is beneficial to Behavior, have identified a variety of positive identify a mentor sooner than later. A small story outcomes for mentees, including motivational, goes to unveil the value of Mentorship: A little attitudinal, career, and health benefits. But mentees boy asks his father, “what is the value of a mentor”. aren’t the only ones who win. Mentoring can The father says, “that’s a big question… hold that help make someone feel needed, significant, and thought” and disappears. When he returns he enjoyed.” hands the young lad a diamond, perfectly shaped and cut, and says.. “Take this stone, and find out A Gallup poll showed that 34% of U.S. workers are how much it’s worth, and come home, when you engaged and 70% of team engagement is directly are done, I’ll answer that question for you”. related to the quality of the manager or team leader, which means that companies that create The boy heads out and asked several people that he more nurturing workplace cultures have a higher meets throughout the day… first he meets a man success rate than those that do not. A study by who owns a grocery store and asks: “excuse me sir, Deloitte suggested that millennials are demanding can you tell me how much this is worth?“. The store mentorship in the workplace and feel more valuable owner looks at the stone and says: “I don’t know when someone takes the time to invest in their little man but, I’ll give you a banana for it”. leadership skills. It also reveals that they are more likely to stay with a company for more than five He then goes to a museum, and asks the curator: years with companies offering mentoring programs. “excuse me sir, how much would the museum pay for this stone? The curator says: “I love your Companies benefit from mentoring programs enthusiasm kid, but we don’t need one of these in because they contribute to the development of a our collection just now. Thank you though”. better-trained and engaged workforce. The mentor develops relationships across the organization, He leaves despondent, then goes to a jeweler and and identifies skills that should be developed or the jeweler says “this gem you have here, is the improved upon. most perfect gem I’ve ever seen. I can’t imagine it’s value. To me it appears priceless.” Mentoring schemes are regarded also by women in professional disciplines as one of the most important He then returns home and asks his father: “how strategies for achieving career development. In much is it actually worth, and what does it have one of the recent surveys, 94% of those surveyed

ImpacT December 2020 5 you will have to find a mentor who not only likes to learn but also concerned with his own career development. You also will have to find a mentor who enjoys mentoring. Your mentor should derive some enjoyment from mentoring you and seeing you succeed under his mentorship. Find someone who can set a good example for you, both in his career and the standards he sets for his own work.

Approaching a potential mentor is up to you. Mentors aren’t going to come up to you and offer. When you approach a mentor, you’ll want to have already developed a plan for your mentorship. said that mentoring programmes were important, You’ll want to share your goals with your potential compared to just 67% who valued fast track career mentor, your accomplishments, and your needs progression schemes and 75% who valued formal and objectives. Explain why you want a mentor. If networking opportunities. The popularity of the person you approach agrees to be your mentor, mentoring programmes is further reinforced by you’ll then want to discuss what you both want to the fact that some professionals in the developed accomplish during the mentorship. countries are prepared to organise and fund them privately. It is the mentorship, a strategic path, that can help build your personal awareness and support Dawn Klinghoffer, the Head of People Analytics at improving your specific skills, further guiding you Microsoft, observes, “We’ve found that successful establishing your goals and achieving it all along in onboarding doesn’t require an overcomplicated your career advancement. playbook. It’s important to have a multi- dimensional onboarding plan in place, of course, Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen and a but remember the most important thing a new hire push in the right direction. John Crosby. needs for success is support. All it takes is a planful manager and a dedicated onboarding buddy to Mentee – Mentor Relationship ensure their new hire has a positive and productive first few months on the job”.

Concluding Observation Dr. S. Jeyachandran

He is basically a Concrete Successful mentoring relationships go through Technologist turned into a four phases: preparation, negotiating, enabling Construction Management professional by experience. He has had growth, and closure. These sequential phases build over 4 decades of experience in selling, on each other and vary in length. Some believe that Quality Control of Construction Materials, teaching in various the relationship should last no more than three to institutes. Presently Vice President in six months; others believe that mentoring is a long- Marutham Group, Chennai.. term process where an individual is supported over a number of years to realize their true potential.

Once you understand your needs in a mentor,

6 ImpacT December 2020 ‘It’s a Miracle’: Helsinki’s Radical Solution to Homelessness

Finland is the only EU country where homelessness is falling. Its secret? Giving people homes as soon as they need them – unconditionally. Author - Jon Henley atu Ainesmaa just turned 32, and for the and a bishop – called their report NimiOvessa first time in more than a decade he has a (Your Name on the Door). home he can truly say is his: an airy two- roomT apartment in a small, recently renovated “It was clear to everyone the old system wasn’t block in a leafy suburb of Helsinki, with a view over working; we needed radical change,” says Juha birch trees. Kaakinen, the working group’s secretary and first programme leader, who now runs the Y-Foundation “It’s a big miracle,” he says. “I’ve been in , developing supported and affordable housing. but everyone was doing drugs and I’ve had to get out. I’ve been in bad relationships; same thing. I’ve “We had to get rid of the night shelters and short- been on my brother’s sofa. I’ve slept rough. I’ve term hostels we still had back then. They had a very never had my own place. This is huge for me.” long history in Finland, and everyone could see they were not getting people out of homelessness. Downstairs in the two-storey block is a bright We decided to reverse the assumptions.” communal living and dining area, a spotless kitchen, a gym room and a sauna (in Finland, saunas are As in many countries, homelessness in Finland basically obligatory). Upstairs is where the 21 had long been tackled using a staircase model: you tenants, men and women, most under 30, live. were supposed to move through different stages of temporary accommodation as you got your life It is important that they are tenants: each has a back on track, with an apartment as the ultimate contract, pays rent and (if they need to) applies for reward. housing benefit. That, after all, is all part of having a home – and part of a housing policy that has “We decided to make the housing unconditional,” now made Finland the only EU country where says Kaakinen. “To say, look, you don’t need to solve homelessness is falling. your problems before you get a home. Instead, a home should be the secure foundation that makes When the policy was being devised just over a it easier to solve your problems.” decade ago, the four people who came up with what is now widely known as the Housing First With state, municipal and NGO backing, flats were principle – a social scientist, a doctor, a politician bought, new blocks built and old shelters converted

ImpacT December 2020 7 into permanent, comfortable homes – among them 2008, the number of long-term homeless people in the Rukkila homeless hostel in the Helsinki suburb Finland has fallen by more than 35 percent. Rough of Malminkartano where Ainesmaa now lives. sleeping has been all but eradicated in Helsinki, where only one 50-bed night shelter remains, and As a series of crises puts Europe under strain, some where winter temperatures can plunge to -20C. cities are fighting back with innovative solutions. From hyper-specialist shops beating the online The city’s deputy mayor Sanna Vesikansa says that threat in Berlin to the Bulgarian city reversing the in her childhood, “hundreds in the whole country country’s brain drain, from the Italian city finding slept in the parks and forests. We hardly have that new ways to tackle addiction to gambling to the any more. Street sleeping is very rare now.” Swedish town that has found innovative ways to combat extremism, we look at what European In England, meanwhile, government figures show cities are doing to live better in our increasingly the number of rough sleepers – a small fraction urban world. of the total homeless – climbed from 1,768 in 2010 to 4,677 in 2018 (and since the Housing First’s early goal was to create 2,500 new official count is based on a single evening, charities homes. It has created 3,500. Since its launch in say the real figure is far higher).

8 ImpacT December 2020 But Housing First is not just about housing. Hardly any of the tenants come straight from the “Services have been crucial,” says Helsinki’s mayor, street, Haapa says, and those who do can take time Jan Vapaavuori, who was housing minister when to adjust to living indoors. But after a three-month the original scheme was launched. “Many long- trial, tenants’ contracts are permanent – they can’t term homeless people have addictions, mental be moved unless they break the rules (Rukkila does health issues, medical conditions that need ongoing not allow drug or alcohol use; some other Housing care. The support has to be there.” First units do) or fail to pay the rent.

At Rukkila, seven staff support 21 tenants. Assistant Some stay seven years or more; others leave after manager Saara Haapa says the work ranges from one or two. In 2018, six tenants moved out to lead practical help navigating bureaucracy and getting fully independent lives, Haapa says. One is now education, training and work placements to a cleaner, living in her own flat; another studied activities including games, visits and learning – or for a cookery qualification during his five years at re-learning – basic life skills such as cleaning and Rukkila and now works as a chef. cooking. Ainesmaa is on a two-year work experience “A lot of it is really about talking,” says Henna programme designed to lead to a job. He says Ahonen, a trainee social worker. And that is “easier the opportunity to sort himself out was priceless: when you are actually doing something together, “Look, I own nothing. I’m on the autism spectrum. rather than in a formal interview,” Haapa says. “The I think people are my friends, and then they rip me connection is just … easier. You can spot problems me off. I’ve been ripped off … a lot. But now I have more readily.” my place. It’s mine. I can build.”

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ImpacT December 2020 9 Housing First costs , of course: Finland has halving the number of evictions from city-owned spent €250m creating new homes and hiring 300 and social housing from 2008 to 2016. extra support workers. But a recent study showed the savings in emergency healthcare, social services “We own much of the land, we have a zoning and the justice system totalled as much as €15,000 monopoly, we run our own construction company,” a year for every homeless person in properly says Riikka Karjalainen, senior planning officer. supported housing. “That helped a lot with Housing First because simply, there is no way you will eradicate homelessness Interest in the policy beyond the country’s borders without a serious, big-picture housing policy.” has been exceptional, from France to Australia, says Vesikansa. The British government is funding Finland has not entirely solved homelessness. pilot schemes in Merseyside, the West Midlands Nationwide, about 5,500 people are still officially and Greater Manchester, whose Labour mayor, classified as homeless. The overwhelming majority Andy Burnham, is due in Helsinki in July to see – more than 70 percent – are living temporarily the policy in action. with friends or relatives.

But if Housing First is working in Helsinki, where But public-sector planning and collective effort half the country’s homeless people live, it is also have helped ensure that as a way to reduce long-term because it is part of a much broader housing policy. homelessness, Housing First is a proven success. More pilot schemes serve little real purpose, says “We’re not there yet, of course,” says Vesikansa. Kaakinen: “We know what works. You can have “No model is perfect; we still have failures. But I’m all sorts of projects, but if you don’t have the actual proud we had the courage to try it.” homes … A sufficient supply of social housing is just crucial.” The mayor agrees. “We have reduced long- term homelessness by a remarkable amount,” he And there, the Finnish capital is fortunate. Helsinki says. “We must do more – better support, better owns 60,000 social housing units; one in seven prevention, better dialogue with residents: people residents live in city-owned housing. It also owns really support this policy, but not everyone wants a 70 percent of the land within the city limits, runs unit in their neighbourhood … But yes, we can be its own construction company, and has a current very proud.” target of building 7,000 more new homes – of all categories – a year. Source Courtesy: https://getpocket.com/

In each new district, the city maintains a strict housing mix to limit social segregation: 25 percent social housing, 30 percent subsidised purchase, and 45 percent private sector. Helsinki also insists on no visible external differences between private and public housing stock, and sets no maximum income ceiling on its social housing tenants.

It has invested heavily, too, in homelessness prevention, setting up special teams to advise and help tenants in danger of losing their homes and

10 ImpacT December 2020 Interesting news for “ Theadmirers Curse Gone of MGR! Wrong” !

am bringing out a book titled “CRITICAL YEARS OF AN IMMORTAL LEGEND”. I This recounts briefly, series of incidents, namely how MGR who was always a picture of

Minister. These are men of straw of whom no trace will be found after a few years”. he Second World was over in May 1945. Two months later, after the victory, ApolloMore than Hospital. seventy Exactlyyears have a monthpassed after later, the he ‘curse’ was England held its General Election. Most transportedof Winston to Churchill. U.S.A. Today, an Indian, Rishi surprisinglyT the party whose leader was Winston Sunak is the Finance Minister of England, more Churchill, the hero of the Battle of Britain, lost Thepopular problems than even faced Prime in the Minister Aircraft Boris while Johnson. shifting the ‘battle of the ballot’. The Labour Party leader MGRMr. Rishi to Newyork,Sunak stays and next the doordays heto 10spent Downing in the health,Mr. Clement became Attlee, suddenly a friend giddy of on India, 15th becameSept 1984 the BrooklynStreet, London, Hospital where are Winston also highlighted. Churchill stayed How atPrime a function Minister. in Tanjore He introduced Bragadeeswarar the Bill, Temple. to give MGRas P. M. was for ‘reborn’years. Another and stood Indian, before Ms. aPriti massive Patel ‘Freedom to India’ in the House of Commons crowdin the duringBritish the Cabinet, first weekis acclaimed of February as an at efficientthe Polo Later,on 3.6.1947. on the The night then 5th OctLeader 1984, of the he developedOpposition groundHome Ministerin St of UK. Mount and how he became respiratoryWinston Churchill distress andwho washad admittedutter contempt into thefor the C.M for the third time are also narrated. India, spoke in the Parliament, bringing out his Winston Churchill must be literally turning in his venom. He said, “By giving freedom to Indians, Hopefullygrave. this book will see the light of the day power will go into the hands of rascals, rogues, and during the first week of April. free booters. The blood of these hungry millions will be on the head of Clement Attlee the Prime Dr.H.V. Hande

Former Health Minister of Government of Tamilnadu. Founder& Director of Hande Hospital.

Impact March 2019 23

ImpacT December 2020 11 Pandemic-Proof Your Habits

Too many people are still longing for their old routines. Get some new ones instead. By Kate Murphy attended a Thanksgiving dinner several years there are still things you can count on. ago where the hostess, without warning family and friends, broke with tradition and served First, a little background on why we are such Isalmon instead of turkey, roasted potatoes instead creatures of habit. Psychologists, anthropologists, of mashed, raspberry coulis instead of cranberry neuroscientists and neurobiologists have written sauce and … you get the idea. countless books and research papers on the topic but it all boils down to this: Human beings are While a few guests mustered the politesse to say prediction machines. the meal was “something else,” most reacted with undisguised dismay. Some seethed. Others sulked. “Our brains are statistical organs that are built One young guest actually cried. No one had seconds. simply to predict what will happen next,” said Karl Friston, a professor of neuroscience at University It wasn’t that the meal itself was bad. In fact, the College London. In other words, we have evolved meal was outstanding. The problem was that it to minimize surprise. wasn’t the meal everyone was expecting. This makes sense because, in prehistoric times, When there are discrepancies between expectations faulty predictions could lead to some very and , all kinds of distress signals go off in the brain. It doesn’t matter if it’s a holiday ritual or more mundane habit like how you tie your shoes; if you can’t do it the way you normally do it, you’re biologically engineered to get upset.

This in part explains people’s grief and longing for the routines that were the background melodies of their lives before the pandemic — and also their sense of unease as we enter a holiday season unlike any other. The good news is that much of what we miss about our routines and customs, and what makes them beneficial to us as a species, has more to do with their comforting regularity than the actual behaviors. The key to coping during this, or any, time of upheaval is to quickly establish new routines so that, even if the world is uncertain,

12 ImpacT December 2020 Routines and rituals also conserve precious brainpower. It turns out our brains are incredibly greedy when it comes to energy consumption, sucking up 20 percent of calories while accounting for only 2 percent of overall body weight. When our routines are disrupted, we have to make new predictions about the world — gather information, consider options and make choices. And that has a significant metabolic cost.

Dr. Friston said that our brains, when uncertain, can become like overheated computers: “The amount of updating you have to do in the face of new evidence scores the complexity of your processing, and that can be measured in joules or blood flow or temperature of your brain.” That exertion, combined with the primordial sense of threat, produces negative emotions like fear, anxiety, unpleasant surprises — like a tiger eating you hopelessness, apprehension, anger, irritability and or sinking in quicksand. So-called prediction stress. Hello, Covid-19. errors (like finding salmon instead of turkey on your plate on Thanksgiving) send us into a tizzy Our brains are literally overburdened with all the because our brains interpret them as a potential uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Not only is threat. Routines, rituals and habits arise from the primitive part of our brains telling us, “Keep doing what you’ve been doing, because you did it before, and you didn’t die.”

So the unvarying way you shower and shave in the morning, how you always queue up for a latte before work and put your latte to the left of your laptop before checking your email are all essentially subconscious efforts to make your world more predictable, orderly and safe.

Same goes for Tuesday yoga class, Friday date night, Sunday church services, monthly book clubs and annual holidays. We may associate these activities with achieving a goal — health, friendship, education, spiritual growth — but the unwavering regularity and ritualized way with which we go about them, even down to our tendency to stake out the same spot in yoga class or sit in the same pew at church, speak to our need to minimize surprise and exert control.

ImpacT December 2020 13 to their old routines because stopping feels more threatening than the virus.

And then there all those hunkered down in a kind of stasis, waiting until they can go back to living their lives as they did before. But that, too, is maladaptive.

“You’re much better off establishing a new routine within the limited environment that we find ourselves in,” said Dr. Regina Pally, a psychiatrist there the seeming capriciousness of the virus, but in Los Angeles who focuses on how subconscious we no longer have the routines that served as the prediction errors drive dysfunctional behavior. familiar scaffolding of our lives. Things we had “People get so stuck in how they want it to be that already figured out and relegated to the brain’s they fail to adapt and be fluid to what is. It’s not autopilot function — going to work, visiting the just Covid, it’s around everything in life.” gym, taking the kids to school, meeting friends for dinner, grocery shopping — now require serious Luckily, there is a vast repertoire of habits you can thought and risk analysis. adopt and routines you can establish to structure your days no matter what crises are unfolding As a result, we have less bandwidth available for around you. Winston Churchill took baths twice higher order thinking: recognizing subtleties, a day during World War II, often dictating to his resolving contradictions, developing creative ideas aides from the tub. While in the White House, and even finding joy and meaning in life.

“It’s counterintuitive because we think of meaning in life as coming from these grandiose experiences,” said Samantha Heintzelman, an assistant professor of psychology at Rutgers University in Newark who studies the connection between routine behavior and happiness. “But it’s mundane routines that give us structure to help us pare things down and better navigate the world, which helps us make sense of things and feel that life has meaning.”

Of course, you can always take routines and rituals too far, such as the extremely controlled and repetitive behaviors indicative of addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder and various eating disorders. In the coronavirus era, people may resort to obsessive cleaning, hoarding toilet paper, stockpiling food or neurotically wearing masks when driving alone in their cars. On the other end of the spectrum are those who stubbornly adhere

14 ImpacT December 2020 committing to working the same hours in the same spot.

Pandemic-proof routines might include weekly phone or video calls with friends, Taco Tuesdays with the family, hiking with your spouse on weekends, regularly filling a bird feeder, set times for or meditation, front yard happy hours with the neighbors or listening to an audiobook every night before bed.

The truth is that you cannot control what happens in life. But you can create a routine that gives your Barack Obama spent four to five hours alone every life a predictable rhythm and secure mooring. This night writing speeches, going through briefing frees your brain to develop perspective so you’re papers, watching ESPN, reading novels and eating better able to take life’s surprises in stride. You seven lightly salted almonds. might even be OK with salmon instead of turkey for Thanksgiving — as long as there’s still pie for The point is to find what works for you. It just dessert. needs to be regular and help you achieve your goals, whether intellectually, emotionally, socially Author: Kate Murphy, a frequent contributor or professionally. The best habits not only provide to The New York Times, is the author of “You’re structure and order but also give you a sense of Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why It pleasure, accomplishment or confidence upon Matters.” completion. It could be as simple as making your bed as soon as you get up in the morning or Source Courtesy: https://www.nytimes.com/

ImpacT December 2020 15 Lost Opportunities and Wasted Efforts-A Tale

hey say “Opportunities rarely come; wise is of plumbers, masons, helpers-again trained or the man who grabs and avails and succeed”. untrained, skilled or unskilled- going about Others say “Unlimited are opportunities; and making plenty of money within the period wiseT people avail and succeed”. Some others may prescribed. see that wisdom lies in creating the opportunities and achieving success! There was a parable quoted by Ramakrishna Paramahamsa about a poor man whom God A few years ago, there was a Government order wanted to help and put a bag of money on the road that all the fast moving vehicles must have number which the man normally walks along at a particular plates repainted with the suggested pattern before time of the day. That poor man did pass through a prescribed date. It was a delight to see the the road, exactly at the time that he normally passes mushrooming of painters (?!?!?!?) through and the bag of money was lying. This poor man was worried as to what will happen to him (All and sundry knowing painting or otherwise) on if he loses his eye sight and he wanted to practice the footpaths with paint and brush making money a few meters walk closing his eyes; it was exactly aplenty- on the principle of “making the hay while where the money bag was lying and he opened the sun shines”! his eyes after crossing the bag and thus he lost what indeed God was trying to help! A great lost There was yet another order of the Government on opportunity. That poor man was blissfully unaware “rain harvesting”. My God! There were battalions of the opportunity provided by God. On the other hand there are people who know the available opportunities, ignore the same for whatever reasons and then regret for some times and at times lifelong!

I quote a poem that was written quite a few years ago:

OPPORTUNITIES UNLIMITED

• Opportunities are unlimited • Abundant potential unimagined • All through the world • All over the age

16 ImpacT December 2020 • It’s best to act when feasible • If not see what is possible.

Though we think with a resolve not to lose the opportunities, we do lose and feel for it later. Recently there was an opportunity for me to sing a song in Tamil in an International Literary Festival, where I could have easily sung a song of Bharathiar that would have raised the prestige of Tamil and the Tamils while the others from Hindi heartland, East and west , north east and deep south rendered a song well received by the Indian and foreign delegates. • Those bold seize I could have volunteered which would have been • They succeed sure! happily received by the organizers which I did not • Vast land uncultivated do; still worse, a well-meaning Kerala Tamil knowing • Underground water unexplored lady made an earnest request to me to render one • Mineral unfathomed which for unknown reasons I spurned; now in • Forest reserves untapped retrospect I regret at the lost opportunity and I don’t • Maximum brain –power unutilized know in my life time I will have another opportunity • Scientific myths unexplained! in such a situation as the one I lost! I can recount • Will power and perseverance • Broad vision and intelligence • Great zeal and enthusiasm • Creative mind and optimism • Royal road to untried mission! • Sure to land in unseen heaven!

God given opportunities, nature provided opportunities, Government created opportunities, society laid opportunities- opportunities, opportunities everywhere and one has to constantly keep his eyes and ears open, grasp at the sight of it and avail purposefully. Many a time a sense of resignation and the fear of failure blind our eyes and deafen our ears and we fail to avail the opportunities and regret later.

Achievers are those who grasp the opportunities available, avail the same, devise the strategies and accomplish. Saint Poet would say:

• When comes the season ripe and rare • Dare and do hard things then and there. • In weighting time feign like stork • In fighting time strike like its peck.

ImpacT December 2020 17 my passion since the day of my from a Public Sector Organization at a fairly senior level.

Some people –of course they are also concerned with literary activities such as publishers, authors etc.- come up with one request or other and I in my enthusiasm-or is it over enthusiasm?- I go all out to accomplish the assignment that I have undertaken at others request-pleadings- at times going all out at the cost of my time, energy, strength, other personal work etc. But alas…….! The work done at that stage remains as such and no progress whatsoever –despite my follow up with the many such lost opportunities- big and small. concerned- is seen for years!. To quote, two authors were introduced to me by a common friend and I While this is one side of the story, there have have a fancy for ‘translation literature’. Whether it been quite a few instances of wasted efforts! In is verse or prose I do translation in the same genre. over enthusiasm, one is tempted to grab at the These two authors requested me to translate their opportunities that come on ones way , go all out works- Tamil to English. As is usual with me, I to achieve certain things, finish the work with all took the request very seriously and completed out efforts which ultimately yield no worthwhile the same meticulously, sacrificing my early walk result! I shall share some of my own experiences to time and temple time! It is more than a couple substantiate this claim of “wasted efforts”. Everyone of years and nothing is heard from them despite in the society would have had this unpalatable my efforts. A clear case of WASTED EFFORTS! experiences and it will be fine if one learns a lesson There are several such wasted efforts. The message or two out of such situations. “Wasted efforts” can is clear: There are LOST OPPORTUNITIES and be computed in terms of ‘money’ which I am not WASTED EFFORTS. One has to be discreet in inclined to do as of now. grabbing at the opportunities and putting in his efforts. I am a little interested in literary activities such as writing essays, poems, books, translation from English to Tamil and vice versa. This has been Mr. N V Subbaraman

A bilingual poet, writer, trainer, translator, thinker and speaker from Chennai Mr. N. V. Subbaraman has written 36 books. His paper, “Valluvam inspired ,” was approved for presentation in the international Tirukkural Conference held in Washington, USA. His translated works include Thirukkural, Bharathiyar’s Kuyilpattu and Ramana Maharishi’s Aksharamananmalai. He was formerly the Deputy zonal Manager, LIC of India.

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Contact: email: [email protected]; URL: impactjournal.in Dr.M.G.Bhaskar, Sri Anandham Apartments, No.1A, Jai Nagar, Second Street, Arumbakkam, Chennai - 600106. Helpful Tips On Decision Making !!

The Quality of our thoughts determines our own personal degree of happiness !

HELPFUL TIPS ON DECISION MAKING !!

It’s true that you are the product of your own thoughts and decisions. Whatever you decide on daily basis, whatever you do in your routine life is directly or indirectly linked to your future. That means you are making the foundation of your destiny with your decision and actions in your routine life. So by looking at the bigger picture, it is right to conclude that decision making is critically important for your success and achievements of lifetime goals.

Given below is the list of insightful factors which you need to considerer while making decisions.

1. Consider the short term and long term consequences: Whether the decision is materialistic or a sensitive family matter. You have to consider short terms and long terms benefits.

2. Cost Vs quality if applicable. If you intend to purchase something, consider cost, quality, warranty perspectives. Usually cheep products have less life and bad quality but is not the case always. To cope up with this, define your budget and then carefully analyze all the options which are falling within your budget.

20 ImpacT December 2020 6. Consider all options: Don’t stop your brain on one idea or approach. Think about more options. Seek advice from others on different possible solutions of the given situation/problem. to the problems which need decisions.

7. Ask for criticism: If possible ask for criticism before implementing the decision. Although it’s never too late to ask for criticism even after your decision. Feedback always helps in your future.

3. Need Vs wants analysis: Are you purchasing for pleasure or it is your long term need. Remember this is a difference between pleasure and happiness. Sometimes pleasure dost not last long so you don’t want to spend a lot for the sake of short time pleasure. If you are in Need of something then consider point-1 and point-2.

4. Consider emotions: This is quite sensitive aspect. You have to put yourself in everyone’s shoes to understand his/her emotions. You don’t want to hurt someone with your decision, instead you want to keep your stake holders emotionally satisfied. Emotional Intelligence is an art; learn it by reading on . To understand people you have to have 8. Learn to differentiate between Urgent and true sense of judging people Important tasks. Read my article Urgent and Important. 5. Consider Win-Win: A balanced approach in which everyone gains is always recommended. 9. Closely observe others: Think about what your friend/colleague/acquaintance did under a specific condition. A wise man always learns from the mistakes of others.

Good decisions require good analytical skills. Read some tips here to improve your analytical skills.

Author & Corporate Trainer Mr. Rajendra Deshpande.

ImpacT December 2020 21 Is Corona Virus a Blessing in Disguise?

he Year 2020 is slowly coming to end. world, the worst after the Great Depression of the What a Year! Unforgettable. There may Yesteryears. What a bleak prediction! be a very few people in the entire world whoseT life was not turned upside down or not faced The New Normal Life unexpected developments due to Lock Down etc. Is there any hope that all these things will be over The above expression is often heard now. What by December 31, 2020? Many reports say that does it mean? the vaccine for the Corona Virus may reach only 60 to 70% of the by the end of It denotes different things to different people like 2021, provided the vaccine is found by the middle the following: of 2021! Another report says the social distancing and masking may have to be maintained at least • For many office goers, it is Working from up to 2022 in major countries like the USA, UK Home- WFH. The Employers should help etc and other nations till 2024, since there are establish a small office with internet facility possibilities of the recurrence and a Second Wave and furniture at the residence of each of the Pandemic next year or so. The World Bank employee working from home, since all the has forecast a terrible recession throughout the employees may not have all amenities in their residences. Actually, even the present WFH scheme going on after the Virus, has brought in a lot of cyber frauds and the General Insurance companies have received considerable number of claims with regard to data theft, hacking and frauds. Many

22 ImpacT December 2020 large. Let us continue them, irrespective of whether the Virus remains or gets eliminated.

For example:

1. Personal cleanliness- Saying ‘ Namaste’ is better and safer than hugging, kissing on the forehead and gestures like that. 2. Bachelors having a booze party on every Saturday night, going up to odd hours, causing disturbance to neighbors. Getting involved into fatal road accidents while returning home after the event is a tragic story for many families. 3. With Working from Home becoming the companies have gone in for Cyber Insurance. norm, all the office gossips at the Water • For many Home Makers- House wives- it Cooler and at the canteen- enjoying the oily is getting used to the men folk remaining pakoras- are the things of the past. These at home and demanding snakes- I mean were resulting in loss of huge man hours snacks, quite possible if this trend continues, and when the same employees stay beyond the ladies may offer snakes too- washing office hours to complete the job, it is a great all the incoming goods like the , financial strain to the company. provisions etc. in sanitized water and what 4. What great savings are there due to minimum not. traffic, saving petrol and time, removing the • For Bank employees, facing people with huge noise and air pollution- what a relief when masks- Had this happened earlier to 2020, the Working from Home is implemented. The the Police would have been alerted fearing General Insurance companies should refund that day light robbers had entered the bank the excess motor insurance premium collected premises! during 2020 to the owners of two and four • Social distancing and masking for the most wheelers and reduce the premium for the future. people and many other restrictive practices imposed during Lock Down Number…- I lost the count. • For the employees, Digitalization is the new IT Technique. • For students, it may be online classes. • For so many other people, so many novel things in life like washing hands regularly, personal hygiene etc.

Is Corona Virus a Blessing

When you think dispassionately on the whole situation, it appears like certain new practices are really good for the family, society and the country at

ImpacT December 2020 23 5. Marriages were another matter where the 11. Should we go back to the over-crowded opulent exhibited their wealth, huge pandals, flights and airports, the exploiting Airlines traffic jams, loudspeakers blaring music and reaping benefits of the urgency and emergency on the top of all, voluminous wastage of of the travelling public? leftover food by the guests and what not. 12. The same situation in the cinema industry 6. The same nuisance in the arrangement of and theatre owners running 5 shows on funerals of Bigwigs and political heavy the first week end of the release of films, weights. thereby promoting more uncleanliness and 7. Elaborate pandals and gatherings for festivals spreading diseases- should we continue to like Ganapati Pooja, Dasara and roadside tolerate them where the neatness is the first shops during Diwali, Ramzan and Christmas casualty? and the New Year. 13. The same argument goes for the packed 8. Personal habits like hand washing, using to capacity Primary and Secondary schools sanitizers and for some people even daily and Colleges where money plays a key role bath are worth continuing. in the admission of the children and not 9. Political rallies during election times, use of their merit- is it necessary that we continue loudspeakers, bringing hordes of supporters the same predicament? Is it better that the by lorries are all significant unnecessary evils- Corona Monster has put an end to these often leading to accidents, deaths, travel on evils? Maximum we should have only 50% the top of the rail compartments and more- of the present capacity of students in schools which are stopped now. and colleges to give more personal attention. 10. Conducting of virtual meetings, seminars 14. Is it necessary that we patronize the and gatherings thereby avoiding a lot of crowded Restaurants where the cleanliness is expenditure to one and all. sacrificed? Is it not better to encourage the

24 ImpacT December 2020 homemade simple food, thrust upon us by should make it a point to elect only such candidates the Covid Master? who assure us of protecting the Environment and 15. During the Lock Down times, a lot of social not destroying forests and constructing buildings vigilant groups emerged in many housing and housing projects there. One of the main reasons colonies to help the Police and to make the for the occurrence of new diseases is the denudation common people see reason and cooperate of plants and Natural Resources. Preservation of with the Law Enforcing authorities. Is it not Nature should be our Motto. good to continue the services of such Groups? 16. The Senior citizens and the Retired persons Some Situations were having a gala time before the Virus, pouncing upon any social invitation, even However, there are a few areas where we may face small functions at the relatives’ places, since a dilemma in continuing to follow the Lock Down they were free and they were taking ‘revenge’ situation strictly and we may have to allow a little for missing such programs during their relaxation here and there with of course enough service times. All these stopped automatically precautions: due to the fear of Covid God. Let the same sentiment continue now also thereby Although Online classes have caught the avoiding unnecessary gatherings, gossip and imagination of most of the parents, this System what not. Let the close relatives only attend does not have the vibrancy of a Regular class, such family engagements. Let us maintain especially of a Primary and Secondary school. the social distancing. The enthusiasm, liveliness and participation of a 17. Temples, Churches, Mosques and other class can’t be brought about in an Online class. places are too frequented by people in large It is mostly lifeless and makes the children doze numbers during certain occasions. It is left to off. There are some reports of health problems the respective Religious Heads and the State for students in view of their continuous viewing Governments to give suitable instructions and of the screen and head ache and pain in the eyes. maintain cleanliness and social distancing at Hence if not in 2021, at least from 2022, regular these places of Worship. Cleanliness is next classes should be re-introduced with some social only to Godliness. Now has Cleanliness distancing protocols for Primary and Secondary taken over Godliness? classes, which inculcate a lot of good leadership qualities like team spirit, mutual trust and a feeling BC & AC- Before Covid & After Covid of give and take.

I used to call the period after 2000 as AC and the period before it as BC- not Before Christ and After Christ- but as Before Competition and After Competition in the insurance field. Now the same coinage can be used as Before Covid and After Covid. In other words, life has changed tremendously before 2020 and after 2020 for all people.

We should exhibit some sense of Responsibility and Social Awareness at least once in 5 years, when the Election Commission makes us the Kings. We

ImpacT December 2020 25 The Entertainment Industry is again a gigantic one, people including village artisans, daily labor and giving employment to lacs of technicians, junior technicians- can they be left high and dry and made artists, stuntmen etc. This can not remain in limbo to fend for themselves now due to the Virus? Of for many years. This should come back to full life course, a lot of disciplining has to be enforced by sooner or later. not only the Police but also by the Social Vigilante Groups. The same predicament awaits the Music Industry like holding of concerts, dance performances and Coming to Weddings, we Indians are used to treat the like. Many are held Online during 2020 but can these occasions as especially important and ‘once the same situation prevail during the future years in a life opportunities’. There are many parents too? Especially many famous musicians are used to who save throughout their lives to spend that standing ovations during their recitals and that is entire saved money for the marriage of their only their Energy Tonic. Now during the virtual sessions, offspring. How can we tell them to restrict the the performances become dull and monotonous. number of guests to just 50? Infact the total near relatives themselves exceed the 50 number in some What about the Tourism and Travel Industries? big families among their brothers and sisters! There can be a suggestion- some number restriction can What about the Amusement Parks like Disney be there for the actual marriage event of tying Land of Los Angeles and places of Wonders like the Mangala Sutra during the Muhurtham- the the Taj Mahal? Many of the Natural Parks and auspicious time-or this function can be at a Temple Safaris have been built and maintained only under or a religious place but there can be a relaxation the ‘Crowd’ Model. How will they survive without for the Evening Reception. Here the Guests can their basic criterion- Crowd, Crowd and Crowd! be given different timings to attend and bless the couple so that the crowding can be avoided and The celebration of major festivals of different the social distancing can be maintained. This is religions in certain parts of India at different something like the Dasara Invitation among the times involves and engages a huge number of rich and opulent families, where you are invited to

26 ImpacT December 2020 either ‘ Nothing will happen to me’ or ‘ Let anything happen, I am not bothered’ mood. Both are bad. We are to be hopeful, faithful and courageous. Our lives are very precious and all family members are dependent on each other for future. Let us fight this Pandemic together and win.

While welcoming the New Year 2021, let us welcome the New Normal too.

their homes to witness their Dolls’ Display- Kolu Having cautioned a lot, let me end this article in a in Tamil- only at a particular time in the day or lighter note. evening during the 10 day Dasara festival! If Amazon starts Matrimonial Services, they will Being an insurance person, I can’t but think become Number One in the world because they about our friendly insurance agent. How can he have a 30- day Return Policy with no questions work at a distance without meeting his prospect? asked! Although the agents are also becoming hi-tech using Digitalization and virtual Presentation, The wife tells her husband “ You should not be can it match the actual meeting with the client? afraid of Corona- you should fight it. ( Darna nai, Earlier years, there used to be cartoons showing Ladna hai.) But towards wife you should not fight, the public running away from insurance agents, you should fear her. ( Ladna nai, Darna hai.) now are the Agents running away from the people, fearing the Virus? Although we must slowly Note: switch over to Online selling and our Millennials too prefer it, we may have to continue with our The views mentioned in this article are my personal face-to-face meetings with the prospects for opinions. One need not agree with them. Actually, some more time. some of the readers will have better suggestions. I shall be highly delighted to get an honest feedback. Conclusion

Days ahead are going to be difficult. India continues to be among the top nations having a huge number R. Venugopal of Corona cases. As on November 15, 2020, we Mr. Venugopal has served in have more than 88 lac cases with more than 135000 LIC of India from 1968 to 2006 for 38 years and retired as an deaths . Executive Director.

We should neither live in great fear nor take the mood of Pandemic Denial or Fatigue, meaning

ImpacT December 2020 27 Innovative Participation

Participation Innovation

articipation is a process in which, two ‘Innovation is an act of application of new ideas or more parties influence each other in which creates some value for the product business decisions making. In the decision-making, organization, government, and society. Better and Peach individual member has equal power to smarter way of doing anything is innovation.’ determine the outcome of decisions. ‘Innovation is closely tied to creativity i.e. putting Progress in business, science, art, and society is creative ideas into action is an innovation,’ only possible if we innovate – if we successfully transform new ideas into better , • New products, processes, and services. That is why • New product line or segment businesses, governments and other organizations • A new method of production around the world invest billions of dollars in • An improvement in the existing product research & development every year. “Innovation is the successful exploitation of new ideas. ”The concept of innovation is quite diverse, depending mainly on its application. Briefly, innovation is the successful exploitation of new ideas. Company’s success, for example, means to increased revenues, access to new markets, increased profit margins, among other benefits comes as result of Innovations.

Let us look at the progress of industrialization, first it has started with manufacturing then followed by mass production, that time the competitive edge was volume of production. After that, competitive edge was quality. Then there was an era of cost and industries providing products & services of good quality at cheaper cost got competitive edge. In my opinion now, in next stage, innovation is likely to dominate industries. More innovative companies are going to get competitive age. So now, if you want to become competitive you must become innovative and creativity gives basic material for innovation.

28 ImpacT December 2020 and progress of the Japanese Economy is the social revolution. We will see how Japan has bought this change in this case study.

To understand the Japanese sparkling progress, we should be able to answer the following questions

1. What is the meaning of progress? 2. How is such progress is achieved by human societies? 3. What is a revolution? 4. How the revolution in society takes it to a Japanese Example leadership position?

The end of Second World War marked the Let us now consider these questions one by one beginning of new era for industries in Japan. During the war and an early period of post war era (1945), 1) What is the meaning of progress? the Japanese goods had an image of bad quality. (You will remember the song ‘Mera Juta Hai We can say that progress means ability of the Japani…) Japan has almost no natural resources of society to gain victory and control over nature. This its own and due to shortage of land has to import is physical victory over natural obstacle and control even food and industrial raw material. In spite of and use of natural forces along with victory over this Japanese industries, in and around 2000 have natural animal instinct of man. reached a leadership position in the world in almost every field of industrial and commercial activity. 2) How is the progress, achieved? This phenomenon has taken place over a very short period of just about two decades between 1950 We can also see that when James Watt developed his and 1970. The source of this stupendous growth steam engine, he has used the same ‘Development Cycle’.

1. Observe nature (Lid of tea kettle moving by steam) 2. Think 3. Understand principles i.e. (steam has power) 4. Use creative principles to solve problem ( use steam to rotate wheel)

All human progress is through this application of ‘Development Cycle’ whether it is development of electric motor, lamp, computer, airplane, radio, TV, medicines, or automobile. In all these developments we can see that observe, think, understand natural principles and apply creativity, is at the basis of human victory over nature.

ImpacT December 2020 29 Thus, the human civilization has developed out of two factors

1) Knowledge 2) Humanity

Both knowledge and humanity should progress to build civilization. Only civilized society can make progress. A civilized behavior is the behavior is the quest of knowledge, inquisitiveness, and use of creativity in a humanitarian atmosphere. The progress made by a human society will be related, proportionate to the level of civilization it attends. With the development of ‘Scientific Management’ by Fredrick Taylor, America could take a lead and 3) What is revolution? become world leader.

A revolution is associated with a change in ruling 1. Observe (Work being done) class. French revolution and Communist revolution 2. Think (about the work being done) are the revolutions of this type. 3. Understand (Principles of work process) 4. Creatively apply ( Principles to develop and However, in terms of civilization a revolution implement the most economic work method) means development of new system in which substantially large number of people can start Thus, application of ‘Development Cycle’ in behaving in a civilized manner i.e. start acquiring American industries or in other words ‘civilization and using knowledge in humanitarian atmosphere of American industry’ paves way for tremendous in everyday life. Knowledge applied to creative use progress of American society. What American for control and use of natural forces in large scale management achieved was only partial civilization for the first time, in just a few generations after the of industry. However, even with a partial civilization development of the steam engine. they could lead almost 20th century, until this partial level of civilization was highest in the world, 4) How the revolution in society takes it American Society continued to lead the world. to a leadership position? The Japanese Revolution-Fully Civilized The ancient Greeks, Romans, Indian, and Chinese Industry with their schooling system had ancient civilized societies. However, the light went on and re- Thus, through the revolution of fully civilizing the established in Europe with starting of Universities industry, Japanese, have raised the level of civilization and laboratories. Amongst Europe Britain took and through this, they have been able to match and the lead with starting of industries and democratic surpass the American achievements. In other words, system to improving humanitarian level. As long Managers, engineers and workers were involved in as this level was highest, Britain was leader in the innovative contribution through participation. world. However, British industries were uncivilized as there was rampant exploitation and child labor. After this explanation I had suggested Mr. Manish In addition, the ‘Development Cycle’ was not and his team that they should try following activities working in British industries used by Japan, to overcome similar situation.

30 ImpacT December 2020 work) who voluntary meet, together on a regular basis to identify improvements in their respective work areas using proven techniques for analyzing and solving work related problem coming in the way of achieving and sustaining excellence leading to mutual benefits of employees as well as the organization.

C) Kaizen

Kaizen is the discipline of going to actual place where work is performed (gemba) or where there is A) Suggestion Scheme problem. Directly observing the facts and making rapid practical improvements on PDCA and with Definition of Suggestion Scheme scientific methods.

“A scheme instituted by an organization to provide It means continuously improving everything that an opportunity to its employees to participate in everybody does in every operation in every part of management process by generating alternatives, the organization at every minute of the day. together with the concept for their implementation to achieve betterment in the process and or procedure Kaizen is learning by doing related to its activities for mutual benefits”. If you want to introduce these activities in your In short, it is creating a climate for bringing out organization, and determined to achieve expected the untapped creativity of individual employees by results, you should start Kaizen activity first to generating and surfacing their ideas and recognizing quickly fix the immediate problems in respective them through suitable award. area of work. Utilize enthusiasm of successful people to improve others area through Suggestion B) Quality Circle Scheme and use Quality Circles to improve organizational culture by using teams for innovative What is Quality Circle? idea generation and implementation.

Quality Circle is a small group of 6 to 12 employees. Working in the same work area (doing similar Jayprakash B. Zende

Consultant in employee involvement & freelance trainer

ImpacT December 2020 31 Enhance your Profitability and Market Share...

32 32 ImpacT December 2020