Reflection 2020!

The year 2020 has ended . But the year was unique and unusual for each one of us. The year can be remembered for many reasons and hence it is important for me to reflect and introspect as to how I had gone through the time and which lessons I had learnt:

1.  The year started with positive note when my mentor Mr Robinson D'souza held my hand and agreed to help me in improving my pronouciation. He asked me to practice in Cubbon park in the morning. He was correcting the incorrect words over the phone everyday for 10min. I was reading 'My Experiment with Truth' by Mahatama Gandhi. This experiment was done for a month and it helped me to improve my pronunciation 

2.  The year started on very a positive note because I begin my journey in Auto Division of my company. Culture and class of the division assisted me to explore the auto world that makes the world move 

3. Toastmasters is the platform for improving  not just communication skills but life skills as well. Hence, I got the opportunity to be part of committee as a Treasurer. The learning and experience was immense. Other than accounting, one important aspect that i needed to learn to improve my empathy level. Convincing members for renewal and understanding the difficult time that they were facing during pandemic made me realise that it is important to get in touch with the feeling and thoughts of others to form any opinion.

4. I had always thought and limiting believe of fear of failure and fear of rejection. So I challenged myself to participate in 5 contests like Monologue contest and story telling contest etc,  took different roles, joined other clubs to explore other roles and played a role of contest chair. My participation have overcome my limiting believe and substituted with strong believe of many possibilities 

5. Due to covid, we are highly protected and connected to our family for their health and emotional state of affairs. During this time, I could able to connect with all children of our family and started 'Communication Session' everyday. This was started in April and ran for almost two months. Session was started aiming at building confidence and developing content within children. Everyday session was full of learnings and fun with prepared speeches, extempore, evaluation, quiz, dumb charades, jokes etc. I am happy that within one month time our children improved their thinking, confidence and delivery immensely

6. In professional career, I feel that I contributed to company needs and meet the expectation and differentiated myself. Areas that I brought the change in the company e.g. improving reliasation by getting better price extras, engagement with Sr Management, building capability of downstreams facilities, sustainable business with new accounts 

7. The year was time that I could complete my long pending chore of house registration. This activity helped me to develop the habbit of getting away from procrastinate

8. The year also taught me how to live a life of abundance with gratitude. Many people around us are some or the other helped and assisted in our life to make complete. We must show gratitude for everything that get from others. I am very thankful to my family, my colleagues, Robinson Sir, Surekha Ma'am, Aiyappa, Sreejith, Deepika and many more.

9. I felt happy in voluntarily initiated the process of collating donation for office staff in Diwali. That made me realise that happy is contagious when we do selflessly for others.

10. One thing learnt from BTMC President Aiyappa that be always unreasonable and always try to do what you felt not possible and this can be done in Toastmasters and subsequently in professional and personal life 

So 2020 had been a great year of resilience and always been a year to reflect on our actions. 

Happy Year Ending 2020 and Happy New Year Beginning 2021!

~K.K

Employee Engagement!

We had a special occasion to celebrate this Christmas among our Auto Team online. This was splendid and remarkable effort made by team members. This initiative was a part of employee engagement beyond our day to day work

This initiative taught two valuable lessons:

1. This reminded me dialogue of movie Taare Zameen Per. "Every child has own speciality, potential & liking"

We discovered many young child among our team with different speciality and liking. Many of us have capability of rediscovering new likings, habits & hobbies keeping our childhood alive. This is what I like most that keep us realise that anything is possible in your personal or professional life since each of us is special and precious

2. Normally, employee engagement means meeting physically, have chat, fun & enjoy the time. Even just one year back no one thought of meeting seamlessly on virtual platform and having some sort of fun even at this platform. But nowadays, it is made possible and made us shrink closer to each other and knowing each other better as an individual. Knowing each and being friendly not necessarily we need to meet together physically, virtual meeting can also be substitute

Learnings shall remain with me forever and inspire me to keep rediscovering myself with limitless potential 

~K.K

Overcoming My Fear!

Have ever you experienced that you know something but when it was asked from you in gathering, you could not answer it because of fear of what others may think of me if I am incorrect. 

Yes this happened to me again today.

Today we had an exciting Quality Quiz session in our company. Different teams across the Marketing & Sales function participated in the quiz. The questions were so messimerising to keep the audience and participants spell bounded and excited. Interestingly, the questions were such that difficult to search on google.

There were 5 rounds of questions and after each round or in case participants could not answered the questions, the audience can answer them. In one such round, I was 100% knowing the answer but because of fear that if it is wrong what would other may think. So I could not answered it. Surprising I noticed that persons from Sr Management also tried but answered them wrongly.

Aprat from this situation, many times in my life it happened to me, it is because of fear that is pulling me down or I could not able to speak or I could not able to answer the question or I could not strike a small conversation with others.

So from today's session I learnt a lesson that forget what others may think or judge. Always keep in mind that no person in this world is perfect. Let's flow with rhythm of the situation without caught up in fear of situation.

This way I can overcome my fear. I am sure a small improvement in myself that may have profound impact in my life sooner.

~K.K

Toastmasters' Journey!

I joined BTMC in June 2018 with the intention  of improving my communication  skills. Initially I had the impression that this was an apt platform for just improving my communication skills. But later while spending some meaningful  time in Toastmasters I realised that it offered ample opportunities to cultivate and enhance one's leadership skills as well. The roles of the seven  cardinal positions of  President, VP-Ed, VP-PR, VP- Mem, Secretary, Treasurer and SAA are similar to the seven luminous  stars of our brilliant galaxy. These positions enable us to embark on the worthwhile journey of not just  developing and grooming our  leadership skills but also strengthening  our competence for giving back to the worthy Toadtmaster's Movement from which we have had priceless gain.

I personally experienced that, while holding the position as Treasurer .lt helped me to connect with members and convince them for renewal by empathising with them. Keeping a track of all financial transactions with integrity improved my 'Daily Management Skills'...those proficiencies that we require to upgrade our effectiveness  in personal and professional life.

I also derived the priceless wisdom and insights into   how an international institution operates and functions across the globe.l felt priveleged  to be associated with  an institution of such  high repute  which stood for the exemplary  values, of Respect, Integrity, Service and Excellence( RISE)

This institution is defintely the  laboratory, which enables us not only to progress along the Pathways of more resplendent  Communication and Leadership but also to give our life skills a substantial boost !!!

~K.K

World Toilet Day!

Today morning I went to pick the newspaper and wondered to get fragrance in the coridoor. I thought it would be the fragrance of incense lightened up by my neighbour. After picking the newspaper, frangrance continued and my mind started wondering again. Same observation was also made by my wife.

When I turned the pages of newspaper to get attention on headlines, suddenly my smell sense catch attention of fragrance coming out from front page. My mind didnt allow further to seek headlines rather stick to fragrance. 

It was amazing experience to notice and making our sense pleasant. 

It was cover page advertisement from Domex's toilet cleaner. It says that cleaning itself doesn't ensure germ free toilet. Odour can also reflects presence of germs. 

It says "Next time you step into toilet,stop. Sniff the air. If it smells bad, even slightly, you know that the toilet isn't safe.

Because an  unpleasant odur is the surest sign of germs.

Now, smell this paper, its the Domex Freshgurad fragrance. If your toilet smells like this, it's proof that it is safe from germs."

This is the first time I could get new experience of smell from the newspaper which was so lively and prevalent without having any stain of sample. What a innovation to grab the attention. Such experience created space in the mind of potential consumers. Normally, on basis of visual senses in print media, we take buying decision but stimulating to  smell senses reinforce our mind to complement our buying decision. 

Other important thing to notice that timing of advertisement was so appropriate to notice on day of World Toilet Day.

Such innovation opens the door of new opportunities for marketers. Need of hour is just challenge our status quo and come out with new ideas and innovation.

~K.K

MahaAsthami!

Mahaasthmi is a very speacial day in Navratri. We offer prayer to Maa Durga and seek blessings. 

On this day, our domestic helper, Gayatri brought her daughter to our home. She asked my wife, Sweta if she can teach her daughter Hindi. She knows that my wife is a Hindi teacher and teaches at NPS School. Without much of a thought she happily agreed to teach her without any tuition fee. She loved to teach and bring smile to her life. 

She taught her for an hour and asked her to come on weekend. Now she is coming on weekend and my wife could teach her with delight.

In this Navratri we could not visited to temple to offer Pujas but I think what my wife did as selfless act of teaching is just as offering Pujas to God. 

Let's celebrate the Pujas by bringing smile to someone's life by lightning hope and wisdom.

There Is A Will, There Is A Way!

Lockdown has changed the life the way we live. Either in office or in home, life has taken ups and downs & twist and turn. We acknowledge the need of hour work from home and accepted new norms of work at home. 

Now, working from home has become new norms for me and my wife. I can understand that my job is more of connecting to our colleagues and clients that can be possible over phone and laptop. So connecting with them over Microsoft Team and phone was easy for me in lockdown working from home.

On contrast my wife, Sweta is a school teacher in NPS Rajajinagar, Bangalore. She has experience of teaching in different schools at multiple locations over more than 15 years. Over the years she has been very comfortable in teaching in class with blackboard and chalk within four walls.

Post lockdown, she was asked to teach online. She never thought that she may need to teach children online ever. Even in pre covid, she was not very conversant and used to of using computer frequently as I have been. But post one month of lockdown, she was started getting target to start the class as soon as possible by school management. She was asked to make work plan and innovative teaching methods to meet the standards of the school. 

She had two options. Either quit the job and just manage the home without having domestic help and take up this challenge and find new ways to do it without compromising work at home. She has shown her willingness to take up this challenge and prove herself that she is not just good at class at school but also at online class. She attended the training, discussed colleagues and put in the best of effort to come with more interesting and innovative ways to start the class. She tried and prepared herself and in her demo class with the Principal she stood apart. She was highly appreciated by management and she set herself an example for others. Now, she is very comfortable in teaching class on Microsoft Team and she comes with new ideas and enriching the teaching experience further for the students. She also managed the home nicely with the change of new norms.  

This is possible because she strongly believes that 'there is a will, there is a way' 

~K.K.

Mango Times!

Yesterday one news flashed that Indian Post Office is going to deliver Mangoes directly to customers. It led me to think what a disruption is happening at time of crisis. Post office has a wide network in the country which was once happened to be a lifeline for delivering the personalized news. Now it is geared up for delivering Mangoes and breaking glass ceiling of its status quo.

What a collaborative disruption is happening at time of corona pandemic! 

While taking name itself of mango brings mouth watering. But have we ever thought that Mango can't be just juicy, pulpy & sweet fruit but can it be also teach management lessons to us?

I am wondering what lessons can be learnt from Mango that can be applied to corporate world. There are following thoughts that came to my mind:

1. Mango is found to be in immense variety with different tastes. Even some of mangoes used for specific recipes like salad, pickle, juice, chutney, ice cream, mango bar. In same way employees in the corporate world posses unique strength. Each of employees can't be compared to others. We need to capitalize their strength to meet the company objective and even selection of mango or employee should be done as per specific need.

2.  We enjoy the mango with its pulp and juice not the skin and seed. After the relishing its pulp and juice we throw out the skin & seed and never complaint of colour of skin and size of seed. Every employees posses certain strengths and weaknesses. We should focus on demonstrating their strength rather their weaknesses without considering appearance. So other lesson is learnt that never judge the person by their appearance. Let them demonstrate their talent. This lesson can also be applied in the society.

3.  Mango is available only for short time unlike other fruit like Banana. Farmers put a year of focus efforts to bring pulp and juice to it. We can learn that for any project to accomplish a focus and time bound effort is required. If time and focus are not given importance nothing concrete can be achieved and appreciated.

4. If we are putting effort with purpose to accomplish a project and it is getting delay or some obstacle come across , other team members subordinate the project jointly to accomplish the task on time. This happened in case of crisis of covid 19, supply and sales of mangoes are stuck. Now, post office department is coming forward to rescue mangoes' farmers.

What do you think any other lesson can be learnt from Mango or any other fruits? Just think over it and eager to know your views.

~K.K

21 Days Of Lockdown

Today we are completing 21 days of lockdown due to pandemic of Covid 19.  In these days we heard several words resonated in our mind -Lockdown, Quarrantine, Social distancing and Work from Home. We acknowledged these words not just to live with them but same time these words also open the doors of learning, thinking, contemplating, exploring, sharing & caring for ourselves and others too. 

 So I am introspecting myself how was last 21 days? how do I used it? What are changes that I made to myself and others?

First let's acknowledge that this is not usual time and we are also not use of it. But situation is made such that we can see this as a great opportunity for bringing change in ourselves not just for personal well being but collectively also for family, society and nation. 

So I am summarising how I spend last 21 days of lockdown:

1. When I got up in the morning everyday I pray to supreme and spiritual power that governs entire universe to give strength to all human being to fight against invisible enemy and come back to normal life quickly.

2.  At this point of time, extending support to front runner warriors looks difficult while ensuring social distancing but still we can do it. I am happy that I supported to front runner warriors by donating to PM Cares fund and also to funds raised by my school mates within capability.

3. My wife always considered herself digitally challenged. She always afraid of using laptop and using various basic tools, browser. I tried to assist her to learn various tools quickly like ppt making, using word doc, online meeting through Zoom to take online classes for her school students.

4. Engaging children in this period within four walls is really a difficult task. My brother, suggested me a programming language,Scratch for kids at very reasonal charge. Actually children like animations, so with this programming language children can become consumer to creator of animation. Now my son is enjoying with MIT developed programming language, Scratch learning from scratch.

5. In last 21 days I could write 6 articles on my blog manudrishti.blogspot.com

6. I finished two books. One is self help book, Happy Money. This book talks about to consider the money as an energy. It gives simple tips how to increase your wealth. This helped me to change my perspective towards money. Other book is from Sudha Murthy's, The old man and his God. It contains short and simple varied life experiences of author that enlightens us with food for thought.

7.  We all know the benefits of 

yoga and meditation. But somehow I could not able to start them in regular days. These days, I promised myself to do 'meditation' and 'Surya Namaskar'. These are very important for healthy mind and body. Even Lord Krishna asked Arjuna to do Surya Namaskar before Mahabharta. It is said that by doing so one can't be poor and can't be in adversity. It looks true when mind and body are healthy, both manifest for healthy action. The best part is that when I initiated 'Surya Namaskar' every family members follwed the same including kids. Happy to see a healthy habit getting born in my family

8. I attended couple of webinars, one on storytelling and other on content writing. Learnt simple tips to improve my storytelling and writing skills Still exploring for adding professional skills. Now it is zeroed down to Tableau and Data Analytics. Hope to start them tomorrow.

9. I am regular in Toastmasters club. This time I attended weekly online meeting and attended workshop on 'Effective Evaluation' by TM Prakash Tamhankar. It was indeed a great learning for me 

10. I could able to spend much time with family that I missed out in regular days. This time an essense of togetherness emerged happily and lovingly, doing daily chores together cooking, cleaning & brooming. Everyone contributed a bit. Even our 'Alexa', Amazon Prime, Netflix and DD Channel, each of them helped us in enhancing our bonding in each time we spent together.

Now lockdown of 21 days is getting over and another lockdown -2 is starting fromn15th April to 3rd May. So I am planning for much more use of my time effectively and efficiently.

Want to know know how did you spent time in last 21 days and how are you planning in next lockdown?

~K.K.

Power of Words!

Life looks very boring in lockdown period. No physical connection with family, friends & collegues. No time to refresh to go out, spending full day and night at home appears to be tiresome. Life has come to stand still that man have never thought in recent past. 

But in this challenging time, there exist an opportunity. With this in mind I was just exploring myself how I can engage myself with new skills. The best way I can find to engage with learning through digital world crossing all the boundaries of time & physical presence. So with this exploration I got an update from my younger brother, Neeraj to listen to a webinar on story telling. Being a toastmaster I know the importance of story telling and aroused interest in me. So I immediately registered and listened to it. Speaker, Lavanya Prasad was no exception but a true story teller based on her own experience. She started with asking everyone to write about yourself and tell in 30 seconds. After sometime few of them was asked to tell about themselves. Most of them talked about as an individual reflecting a successful indentity. But what she mentioned something which really struck me. She said that one has to introduce himself or herself with a touch of failure in your life. This may create more curiosity for others to know about your story and connect to others immediately.  More of time, people introduce himself or herself by mentioning the success story and this may not give a reason to craft a story. So we need to develop the habit for crafting a story by rewinding ourselves the moment we failed and how we come out from our failure. 

Other aspect of story telling is power of words. She shared one video that was quiet interesting. The video shows that a blind beggar was sitting side of busy street. He mentioned in cardboard " I am blind please help me". He was getting money from people from passer by. One day one lady came to him and took out out card baord and wrote something at back of card board and displayed it. From that day everything was changed for blind beggar. Many more people started giving money generously. After few days that lady who wrote came to him and saw that he was getting more money. She was quiet happy and contented. She wrote on card board ' the day is beautiful but I can't see it, please help". With change of words more people started feeling the emotions of a blind beggar and generously started giving money to him.

 In same way in our day to day work while interacting with friends, family, collegues, supporting staffs, driver, shopkeepers etc. the words come out from mouth play a significant role in our life. The words can take our life up and down and twist & turn. Words can make us or break us. We need to choose the words diligently and pass on to others that can make others feel great and make the environment pleasant. The spoken words can be like a music to ears uplifting mood and elevating the desire to connect. This is a Power of Words. Let's practice it. 

~K.K

Where Is Our God?

Yesterday we were flipping Netflix to view a movie and we all in family unanimously agreed to watch PK. 

We were enjoying every bit of scenes and dialogues of an alien coming to Earth and struggling to find his stolen remote control to get back to his home planet. While searching his lost remote control he started finding God to plead for getting back his remote control. His journey of finding God led him to learn & emulate all the means and hardships. He accepted and acted rituals of all religions to find God. Finally he reached to the point that it is the man that has made God and created immense difference in human mankind.

This movie has sparked to think and introspect on our long and deep rooted believe system towards God. The learnings that we have from this movie are following:

1. It is man who created a fashion of different attire for Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christiian, Jain. It is nowhere a mark of God in our body visible at time of birth of a person to differentiate our religion. 

2. Most of people in this world are God fearing. Fear has led him to follow the pursuit of unaccounted rituals to please God not mankind. Act of offering milk to Shiva and Chadar to Prophet, Innumerous money & Bali offering to hindu Goddess are seen common. Will it possible to offer all these act to mankind?

Now bigger question arises where is our God?  What are its form? How does it look like? 

Let's take present context of the world, the world is grappling with the most treacherous time the mankind has seen in recent times and man and man made God are lockdown. But in this difficult time millions of people are lockdown, still many of people dare to offer the service to the mankind. They are working relentlessly without wearing the fashion of religion. It is quiet obvious that they forget that they have also family waiting at home, even they are more prone to get infection of covid 19 and risking the most to their life. They are actually God within us. If we recall our mythology, Rama & Krishna were incarnation of God served as a human being. In recent history of mankind, Gautam Buddha, Mahavir, Adi Shankaracharya, Mohamad Prophet, Guru Nanak, Jesus Christ, Mahatama Gandhi, Mother Terresa and many such like people all were human beings served their duties as mankind but revered as God. Like them, those are offering services to mankind in Covid 19 pandemic are God which may be recognised later. But with our intellect to decide whether they are true God among us. 

Can we offer prayers to them? Can we shift our attention & offering from man made God to true spirit of God? We should have firm believe that true spirit of God will end pandemic soon. Our God is residing within us serving the. mankind. 

~K.K

Ways To Get Away From Information Overload,!

Yesterday I had meeting online with our all India business head across the country. He talked about our performance in FY20, upcoming challenges in the world of VUCA( volatile, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) and also emphasised on self upgradation technically, commercially  or acquiring new skills. He also explained how company is grapling with certain challenges in current situation of covid 19. 

Other than all these, one thing that really struck me on how to resilient in world of information overload. Every now and then, we all are connected with several social media with text message, pictures and videos.We all can acknowledge and accept that today information overload making our life a roller coaster ride with inconsistent and uncontrollable time & mind management. So it appears that more we connect to outer world digitally more the information we get and invite for innumerous distractions. Even many a times information are repetitive and undesirable hence information are big source of distraction rather useful information. I observed that too much of information confuse us on our decision to pick the best and relevant information, shorthen our attention time towards regular course of action and finally register minimal storage in our memory. It is important to note that day by day information are getting increased and hence it is imperative to shield and control ourselves from information overload to enhance our productivity and efficiency.

Now question arises how to control ourselves from information overload and how to filter out the best and relevant information that are useful and applicable to us.

I have thought on some of useful tips that I am practicing them.

1.  First thing we should do that when we get up in the morning, don't touch mobile phone. In place of that we can practice some attitude of gratitude or meditation or reading some inspirational article. In case we get up and switch on mobile data we find many whatsapp messages. Our mind attuned to go through them irrespective of importance. Doing so leads us to get into practice of giving our mind control to information. So first do something that you can take control of your mind rather mind is controlled by others 

2.  We found that alerts from various websites and apps keep on pouring on. We may have never bothered to de-alert them and relentlessly keep our attention distracted several times a day. So we need to de-alert all such alerts to enhance our attention.

3.  Among all social media, whatsapp commands highest attention time. It is because we are connected through several groups and individuals. Even some of the group openned in past and they may be still continuing, which may not be relevant in present context. So need to identify all such groups or individuals that are unrelevant and either exit the group or put for 'Mute Notification'

4.  Source of information for our knowledge and wisdom through various apps that should be kept in first page of screen of mobile to get notice by our eyes while flipping the mobile.We can go through to specific set of information that I am intended to do it rather taking time to identify them among clutter of apps.

5. It is important for us to reflect on the information that we are getting seamlessly. So storing such information works as a treasure. To keep a storage of such information we can use some useful app like 'Pocket' or 'Evernotes'. With these tools we can categories the information and keep on storing. Weekly review of stored piece of information makes our mind refreshing and enriching.

I am sure with above tips that can shield us from information overload. If you have other ways please share to me in feedback. Your feedback will be always appreciable.

~K.K 

Twinkle Twinkle Bright Stars!

Almost entire world is under lockdown state to fight against deadly corona virus to spread. In India, PM Modi announced 21 days of lockdown, and finds itis only solution to control the pandemic. 

Almost last 10 days I stopped going to office and started working from home over laptop digitally connected to all office members. Sametime, keeping myself and my family busy with some household activities, games, watching tv etc.

Today evening I was just neck out to my balcony to experience the view without traffic in lockdown state. Truly it appeared that my all five senses are active and finding new dimension unlikely to happen earlier. There is a silence in air and I can smell air of purity. Even it is so pure that the aroma of evening snacks cooked in nearby made my palate salivating. I can feel the breeze touching on my face as smooth as silk and passing to my ears with a meditating sounds. My eyes took off to top of my head and I observed unbelievable sparking and twinkling stars. I was surprised as if I am at different part of the world. Earlier I hardly could see any stars twinkling in smoky and foggy sky as if it appears only sun and moon have place to live in the sky. But in last few days our eyes are getting brighten by seeing many twikling stars that reminded my old days of my childhood.

I can recall when I was 5-6 years old and along with my other siblings, we used to sleep on rooftop in summers. In summer days roof top becomes hot so we sprinkled water on rooftop in night to make it cool down. Once it is done we prepared the bed and my father comes from shop and have meal together and go for sleep. All siblings were excited to listen day to day wisdom from my father and mother presents the meals for us. Before sleep parents narrated a story of their life and experiences, mythological stories and fables under very bright and twinkle stars. These stars were so bright and twinkle that as if they were talking to us and ready to listen to story.

Most important part of those stories was to impart the values within ourselves. Learmigs from those stories remained with me forever and always give direction and actnas a torch bearer in my life. 

So my connection with bright and twinkle stars etched in memory and I always look forward to these stars as bright and twinkle as in my old days. Seeing these stars it also led me instrospect that to what extent we are sensitive to our environment. It is man who made uncontrollable pollution and population causing withering the shines of stars.

Thanks for lockdown period, it cherished my sweet and beautiful memories and ponder to care the environment. My transition of mind might not have transported or instrospected the caring for nature if lockdown not happened and evironment could not reset it original form of existence. So let's the stars bright and twinkle all the time forever.

~K.K

Adding Flavour To Someone's Life!

Almost everyday when I get up in the morning, first I show my gratitude to God, my parents, family, friends, teachers, mentors, many people and nature who brought me to this level. I am highly grateful to each of them for making my life happy and prosperous. After this exercise I do my affirmation exercise for myself what I want to be. Positive affirmation reminds my mind to manifest for appropriate action.

My wife also gets up with a beautiful smile and requests me for morning tea. So I go to kitchen and prepare tea with tea bag from varied flavour. Flavour that we like earl grey, moringa, jasmine, lemon twist and hibiscuss. Among them I like earl grey the most because of its aroma and flavour. While making tea, it reminds me that how tea bag is making a difference to water. Learnings can be drawn from the tea making with tea bag:

1. Leader is like a tea bag, he brings colour and flavour to life of others like water

2. Leader's life is incomplete without followers. His importance of life is demonstrated when he always ready to make a difference to life of others as tea bag does to water

3. Leader knows when to motivate and inspire the followers and how much he should involve to the life of others. His leadership should be balanced the way tea bag does. Low dipping of tea bag can't add flavour and colour and too much dipping may spoil the taste of tea. 

4. Leader is remembered and respected for exceptional qualities like earl grey tea bag is.

So we should always try ourselves to add flavours to the life of others like a tea bag. It may cost nothing but gives immense gratification and mental pleasure to the life.

~KK

Positivity Around In Lockdown!

Last two months, corona virus has made the entire world at grinding halt. It started from China and spread across the world. Now India is also under its grip spreading epidemically all across the states. Govt is taking stringent action and asked the citizens to lockdown. This is only solutions to break this epidemic spread. Govt has strictly asked the citizens to maintain social distancing and only solution PM Modi suggested to break the chain of spread by staying in home for 21 days, a complete lockdown in entire India. 

With this unpredictable and unprecedented lockdown in India is creating panic and fear among Indians. It is true that when we are in fear and panic our mind also manifest our action in same way. So now it is important for all of us to be in positive mind frame for next 21 days. It reminds me the statement of PM Modi that Mahabharat war was won in 18 days and war against Covid 19 can be won in 21 days if people ready to support govt with right mind set and action together. So I decided myselft to write for 21days that would spread positivity, hope, love, family bonding. Aura of positivity will keep us stay calm infectiously in this difficult time. I have strong believe that in 21days we will make Indians life far better than fear is being created now

~KK

Riding Bicycle

When my elder son,Satwik was growing up and he was five year old. I thought of buying new bicycle on his 5th birthday. I surprised him with it and he was at cloud nine. He expressed his feeling with love and hugged me. 

Since he never ride a bicycle so I put side wheels stand fitted in rear wheel. He could able to ride it and enjoy bicycling. Everyday when he came home after school, he ran for riding his bicycle.

Days went away, one day I thought of taking out side stand and asked him to ride without it. He had shown resistance and feeling uncomfortable riding without side support. Since he was very well used of it and considered it as a part of bicycle which is non detachable part. I pushed him to ride by giving support but he could not able to ride it. Even I encouraged him by showing him in park how others are doing it but he could not able to ride it without stand. He had feeling that he may fall down and his fear continued. 

After few years we transferred to Bangalore and lived in big complex. He was excited to see many of children staying in the complex of his age. He made good friends and started playing with them. He also noticed that some of them have their own bicycle without side stand and enjoying the ride in the complex. After observing for some days he thought let me try bicycle of my friends. He tried and he could able ride it in very short time. Even some of his friends encouraged him to break his limit. It gave a lot of confidence & courage to do it.

When he learnt to ride he came to me and expressed his excitement and took me to demonstrate with joy to me by riding the bicycle.

If I recollect my thought on this experience I learnt a great lesson. Many a times in life learning by ownself doesn't push ourself. The confidence and courage are limited in our mind and in our action. But observing others and learning from them make ourselves to cross the limitation. This is beauty of working in team that pushes our own limits. 

So if we are struck somewhere in life and trying hard to achieve something but could not able to do it, let's try to be part of a group. By observing others make our stereotype mindset futile and inspires to achieve what we set the goal for ourselves. 

~KK

3rd March- A Special Day!

3rd March is a special day for us in the company. Today we celebrate birth anniversary of our founder, J N Tata. It is celebrated just like a festival in Jamshedpur and we gathered to sales office across the country to pay homage to a great man. 

Just two years back I was in Bangalore and I joinned in for paying homage to founder. Ex employee of the company along with other colleagues also joined in. Even our Ex MD of the company, Mr B Muthuraman had also shown his presence. After paying homage to founder by us, Mr Muthuraman spoke few lines about the founder and about the company. Few of us also spoke few lines on this ocassion. All of sudden, I was also asked to speak something. Although I didn't prepare for the same I gathered my courage to speak out. I was fumbled and felt myself dejected. I was taken aback. I felt that I am destroying my value. If I can't speak fluently and confidently then how I could do well in career and how I could able to lead a team. For few days I had sleepless night and instrospecting myself how to improve upon it. I also realised that it is me who is responsible for my state of being not even the company. I decided and promised myself whatever the means I am going to change myself and hence, I knocked the door of Bangalore Toastmasters Club. When I attended weekly meetings, I realised that this a perfect place to improve my confidence and communication. Without any delay I became member of club. Over the period of time I regularly participative and I could see the gradual improvement within myself.

Today again I was partipative in paying homage to our founder. Today, I was decided myself to speak something. After speaking by few of attendees, without any provocation, I took the chance to speak. I spoke few lines with context. I spoke how ex employees of the company contributed in line of vision laid down by founder. The company could stand on its feet for more than 100 years because the contribution by ex employees was immense. 

This time I was very confident and bold. My thoughts was very clear and crisp. I was delighted to see the change within me. Everyday I see the change in search of new version of myself.  

So 3rd March is really important for me to trigger for self development. On this day, a birth of a great man our founder took place several decades back, but just two years back on same day new version of myself was also born. 

What a fantastic day for me. It is also said that mother gives birth to you once but you have ability to give birth several times. I feel I have given birth to myself on this mementous day. 

~KK

How Is Yours?

I am a part of Bangalore Toastmaster Club. I joined it to improved communication skill and also to have a better version of myself. 

 I realised that being a part of Toastmaster, I am leading my life with positivity. Actually people around have positive aura to propagate to others. I really like to part of it. 

Although I joined it one and half years back but I was not so active. Now, I am trying my best to be participate in roles and make use of it. I introspected that people are ready to guide and support in all means for improvement.

Recently International Speech contest was organised. I also have shown my courage to participate at club level. Although I didn't win  either of contest but the best thing happened that I could build my confidence. And area of level contest was held in Belgaum.

Some of my close friends asked me to be part of it. So I decided myself to go along with them. Initially my objective was to learn how the structure of contest happens and develop the networking. 

I took the bus along my friend Ankit who is also winner of ISC at club level and Aiyappa. We had some fun altogether in the bus. 

I witnessed the area level contest and I learnt a lot. More than I could develop closeness with our club members. Spent time together by eating and visiting to local place. That was really good time. 

It was more interesting time when we sat in evening together in the hotel. It was time to celebrate the moment together. Our past President of the club Mr Melvin was also joined us. He came up with very interesting idea of playing game. The game was to one person shall go out of the room he has to guess from the answer of part of body concensualy selected by other people inside the room. But he has to ask only one question from each of the member. He has to give answer in only three chance. If he gets the answer he wins. The question that he has to ask is 'How is yours?'

So this we went on with everyone and it so amazing that we had a lot of fun together.

We really enjoyed the moment and always remembered the time spent together for the purpose that we visited. But the game 'How is your' always be remembered to play it again with family and friends.

Life Is Game Of Hit & Trial, Let's Play It Up!

Few months back we moved to new home in Bangalore. All family members were excited since this is our own flat. The complex is big and full of amenties that everyone can avail and enjoy, especially for children. They are excited because they have got good friends. 

Recently, sauna and steam bath are also opened. Although we were not aware that these are also having such amenities that are going to come up while we booked the flat. When we come know these are in operation and every residents can enjoy them, my wife jumped into it. She always mentioned that these amentiies are usually available in premium resorts and we are priviledged to get them in our complex. 

So one Sunday morning we set out for experience them. Rooms were all set and made just like we were in resort. All operation made of digital control. While starting the switch we found multiple touch switches. But there were no instructions displayed. My wife tried to start but it was not getting started. So she thought of calling maintainanace office to show us how to start. But being as early morning it may difficult to get some person or it may take some time to start it. However, she asked me to try. So I kept on trying hit and trial after few minutes it got started. There was point she was getting impatient but putting hit and trial made us to bring smile and chill down our spine. 

Life is like that. Many a times in life we don't have standard procedure to lead it. We strugle and strive to get the results with hit and trial way. Let's keep on trying and striving the best even a hit and way.

~KK

Everyone is a Hero!

Few days back I got the message from my club Bangalore Toastmaster Club's President, Deepika Das and she enquired of me that whether I can have my story related to the lines " Break your limits and find your freedom". Initially I could not understand the context. So she called me up and started asking few basic questions. I felt free to explain her in those lines.

 I explained her that I was born and brought up in smaller city and hindi and local language was always preferred language. I had been much influenced by local environment to my speaking local language. Even after passed out from school, my desire to improve my english speaking didn't happen. The affect of hindi continued in my speaking english. After passing out from Engg. college I was recruited in a company Tata Steel. Even i was working fine at the most familiar place, Jamshedpur which was not just familiar but also nearest to home town. After working in Production planning, I felt the need to work in marketing & sales function. I didn't see much growth in career and also wanted to get the flavour of business. 

I took the challenge and moved to Kolkata in marketing function. The journey of coming out from my comfort zone continued over the years working in different business function and challenging my status quo. During the journey,  one thing pulled me back was my communication skill. Many a times even I demonstrated my performance and leadership style but I was always given communication as an area of improvement. Even working in smaller cities I didn't find english speaking was common. However, as journey continued and I moved to Bangalore. I was coming from smaller city, Guwahati to Bangalore. I saw the people around me talking fluent english. I dindn't find comfortable myself. But I was keep on trying to improve upon myself. But results was not signigicant. In  July 2018, I knocked the door of Toastmaster and I kept on trying to experience with toasmaster. I kept on talking to people in English, taking roles and coming on the statge. This helped me to build my confidence and started seeing the difference in me. But still many miles to travel.

My journey was well crafted and presented by President in club meeting, hearing this I was zapped. I didn't expect that story of mine will be talk of the evening. I was made hero. I really felt special and honoured to be part of discussion as an inspiring story. 

I must thank her for making me special. I also thank people around me especially from Bangalore Toastmaster club. They are always ready to support and guide me. I am blessed to have Mr Robinson D'Souza as mentor who is always ready to pull me up and instill confidence in me. I heartfully acknowledge their effort towards me. I believe that in making a hero for yourself, right environment and right persons are needed to be surrounded. These spark our ability to make us hero.

One thing that struck me that she also highlighted that many people around us are hero in their own way but somehow we missed to acknowledge them. Rather seeking inspiration from great personalities, Winston Churchil or Mahatama Gandhi etc, inspiration can be find to the next door. Hence we must recognise those unsung heroes and bring them to front in eyes of people.