The Pride from Corporate T-shirts

Corporate T-shirts are the least understood and biggest source of employee pride and identity. Unfortunately, not many organisations understand the power of the corporate T-shirt and therefore don't leverage it effectively.  I treasure the T-shirts of whichever organisation I have worked for over my career, and wear it with pride.

When I left TNS about 5 years ago, I had a handful of almost new TNS T-shirts that I very carefully moth-balled with the hope that I will get to use them sometime in the future.  

4 months ago when I rejoined TNS, I looked forward to wearing those old (but still almost brand new) T-shirts again. 

It was only then that I realised that the TNS logo had changed in the meantime. See if you can spot the difference (the new one is on the right).

So effectively I cannot "publicly" wear my T-shirts with the old logo anymore - or so my PR person tells me. In fact she was amused that I have at all so carefully preserved those T-shirts.

I am in the process of re-building my T-shirt collection with the new logo - and I hope to wear them with pride for a long time to come.

My Dashing George Clooney Looks Dashed

The Pretty Young Thing (PYT) at the check-in counter at the Dubai airport puckered her lips and said :"Sorry sir, you have almost 3 kg excess check-in baggage".

And then she gave me a bright smile and said : "But there is something about you that reminds me of someone - so I will make an exception in your case and not charge you anything".

I always knew it.  My natural grey hair fashioned in the George Clooney Style always works its charm. The security cameras at the check-in counter picked up the following vision of a Ram Mohan Rao beaming at the PYT, exuding his full George Clooney magnetic personality on her.

And then she said :"Oh yes, I know ..... you remind me of my dad".

The security cameras next picked up this vision of the distraught traveller:

I saw a half smile fleetingly pass over the PYT's face.

I would give anything to figure out how many potential George Clooneys has she crushed with this devastating line......

The Boat In The Middle Of The Ocean

On the night flight from Hong Kong to KL, the ocean below was filled with thousands and thousands of fishing boats - their lights twinkling off the seas.

They were like fire-flies on a dark night. Inanimate shiny objects as seen from high up in the sky.

And then I felt a strange sense of disconnect.  I had to remind myself that the boats contained people - like me. Real people with families and hopes and anxieties.  People who struggle and sacrifice - people who are separated from their wife and children by thousands of miles of ocean.

And then I tried to imagine the face of the father that that particular twinkling boat might carry.  And the boat over there in the distance - so isolated from the rest of the boats - what would be the dreams of the families of the fisherman in that boat?

It is strange what distance - either real or virtual - can do to one's perspective.  Elevation brings along a certain arrogance.

I said to myself I would one day spend time in a small boat in the middle of the ocean and experience the connection that I temporarily lost.

The Vanishing Thali

I noticed a surprising change about Mumbai since my last stint here years ago - something has completely vanished from the menu of Mumbai restaurants.

Today I felt very hungry and wanted to have a Thali (a platter offering a variety of dishes).  I went hunting at all the Udupi restaurants all over Mumbai for a thali - but everywhere I got the same response. "Sorry sir, we don't offer the thali anymore - we stopped it years ago.  You can have dosas, or roti-sabjis" was the standard response everywhere.  Apparently the changing tastes of the Mumbai consumer, and the lower margins on the thali for the restaurateur (I suspect more the latter) have been the reasons for the thali vanishing from the Mumbai restaurant menu.

Desperate for a thali I traveled for an hour, and went to the place that was my haunt during my bachelor days decades ago - the Rama Nayak "Boarding" restaurant in a dilapidated building overlooking Matunga East station.  It was still the same - very crowded, big queues, with the same delicious limited thali on offer, and with the same quaint notice boards advising its patrons to wash their hands before eating, to maintain silence, and to take rest after the meal.

The basic limited thali cost Rs 64, and they give coupons of Rs 12 each - with each coupon you can buy "extras" i.e. extra rice cup or 2 chappatis or a cup of curds.

It was heavenly.  And the green rasam was marvelous - and I kept asking for refills (that is one of the only items that is unlimited).  I of course kept a wary eye on the big notice in front of me that pointed out that if I wasted the rasam then I will be fined Rs 13.

In the meantime the thali in front of me quickly vanished - the best restaurant meal I have had in a long time - and that too for only Rs 100 with all the extras.

Considering the queues at this place, it is a mystery to me as to why all the other restaurants have stopped offering the thali.  It is very unfair - especially on guys like me who are big fans of the Thali - we can't keep traveling all the way to Matunga just to have a thali.

Anyway, I am grateful for small mercies - long may the Ram Nayak Thali live.

Contentment : Gangadhar's Story

Getting into an auto-rickshaw today morning, I was pleasantly surprised when the auto driver wished me a courteous "Good morning" with a bright smile, and enquired how my day was shaping up.

Having been a heavy user of autos for the last couple of months, I was quite taken aback - this is not something one expects from stressed Mumbai auto drivers.

He had a sense of tranquility and dignity written all over him.  My curiosity was triggered and I asked him to narrate his story.  Here it is in his own words:

"My name is Gangadhar, aged 57 years.  I have been driving an auto for the last 35 years in Mumbai.  I do not own this auto - I rent it on a daily basis as I want to get away from the hassle of ownership.  I am thus spared of the hassle of repairs and maintenance as the owner takes care of it.

I stay in a chawl (traditional shared dwellings) in Badlapur which is about 1.5 hours train ride from Ghatkoper where my auto owner stays.  I take a train to commute from my house.

Till about 5 years ago, I used to work 12 - 14 hours a day in order to save up to buy my 1 room in the chawl, and for my daughter's wedding.

Since past few years I work only half days, and return home by 1.30 pm.  I work half days not because I cannot still work full days, but because what I earn working half day (about Rs 400) is adequate for me and wife to lead a comfortable life.

I now want to lead a good life, and seek pleasantness in my life.  I avoid arguments with my passengers even if they are nasty.  If I behave politely with them and keep smiling, they normally are also polite to me.

I now find time to do what I love doing - and I consider myself lucky that I am able to do what I have been wanting to do since a long time."

Sox Compliance

Every time my laundry comes out of the washing machine, I have a huge challenge matching up the various pairs of socks.  There are socks of various patterns, designs, and colours - but none of them seem to form a pair.  As a result I keep buying new pairs, but the problem only compounds when they too get into the washing machine ......

Dressing up to go to work is therefore a huge challenge.

When I joined TNS I had to sign a lengthy declaration that I will be SOX compliant.  But the challenge at home with Socks is bigger, and it will need a person of your versatility and intelligence, Vandana, to sort out this mess I have got into.

2 more months to go ........

House Hunting In Mumbai

“No problems sir – I will get you a very good apartment near your office – just give me a couple of days” said the broker.

The first apartment he took me to turned out to be a complete disaster.  It was in a dilapidated old building and there was no lift to get to the 3^rd floor.  Climbing the worn-out, dimly lit stairs made me claustrophobic.

“Sorry I don’t want to stay in a heritage building” I told the broker.

The sarcasm was lost on him – “sir, this is an excellent building, and just walking distance from your office” he said with a sad nod of his head.

The next apartment had a lift, but from the bedroom window I could reach out and touch the metro rail.  Every minute a metro train whizzed past rattling the apartment. 

“Sir, excellently located apartment, you can reach any part of Mumbai by using this Metro” he said. 

I looked out of the window and marveled at the engineers who had managed to build the gleaming new metro rail just an arms length away from the 3rd floor of a residential building.

“…and, you will soon get used to the sound, sir”  he said.  By now he was able to read my thoughts, and pre-empt my every negative comment.

“No, it is not the sound I am bothered about, it is the manner in which the building shakes when the train passes” I told him. 

The next apartment had a lift, had bright large windows, and was in a quiet neighbourhood. 

“Any problems with this flat sir” the broker asked me in a very solicitous tone.

“This flat is good, but  the toilets are not well maintained."

"But sir this apartment is so so good - you will never get such an apartment for your budget in Mumbai" he said with anguish.

He is putting me on the defensive.  "It is my wife - she is especially concerned about the toilets” I told him.

He rolled his eyes heaven-wards.  I was becoming an impossible to please client.

“I will not compromise on the toilets” I repeated.

“Sir, I will need to get the help of other brokers to check whether there is anything available that will meet your needs” he said, and started calling up other brokers.

2 weeks later and after seeing some 20 houses, I finally liked a house.

I was talking to the land-lord and finalizing the terms, when the broker got a call on his phone.  He went to the next room to take the call.

It was obviously another broker calling him to check whether the deal is finally through. 

I heard the broker replying on the phone “Jee, toilet aadmi ko makaan passand aaya”  (Yes, the toilet man finally liked a house).

5 Years On - Bye Dubai

In a few hours from now I will be boarding a flight to re-locate to Mumbai after 5 years outside India.

It seems only yesterday that I had blogged about my feelings while moving from India to Dubai in 2009 in the post titled Starting All Over Again in which I had bitterly complained about my restless nature and foolish idealism (and therefore the pain that comes along with it).  In that post I had expressed my deep envy of people who remain rooted and are quite content being where they are.

Hardly anything has changed since 5 years.  I am still deeply envious of people who are happy being where they are....

All I can say is that I am quite sad leaving Dubai (as I was sad leaving India 5 years ago).  But I am happy to be sad - as it implies I have had very positive experiences here.  It is always better to be sad on leaving a place ...... 

Thank you to my fantastic circle of friends for ensuring that I will continue to miss this place for a long time to come.

Seat Mate Expectations

I sat in the middle "sandwich" seat of the aircraft, and engaged in my favourite activity : watch the passengers board the aircraft, and as they walk down the aisle try to guess which of them would be occupying the seats on either side of mine.

The seat on the aisle side got occupied by a person looking like a retired mafia don - he overflowed from the seat, so I hoped that the window side seat will be occupied by someone slimmer.

A petite, stylish young lady was now approaching the seats - would she be the one occupying the window seat next to me?  I very much hoped she would be my seat mate.

Alas, she sat in the window seat in the row just before mine.

A couple approached and requested the lady whether she could shift to the seat behind her (i.e. to the window seat next to me) as the couple were given seats in different rows, and they would like to sit together.

The lady hesitated.  Then she said "let me check".

She got up, and looked directly at me.  It was almost as if she was taking a decision on whether or not to shift depending on whether she liked me or not.

I seemed to please her, as she turned around to the couple and told them that she will shift to the seat behind.

I was ecstatic.  Did she shift because she sensed that I would be excellent company for her - probably she was aware that I wrote a blog and wanted to sit next to a well known blogger.  Or probably she was looking for romance (or adventure?) and was attracted to my famous George Clooney look.

She moved into the seat next to me, and I waited for her to drop a suitable hint about her expectations. I was keen to live up to her expectations.

I need not have bothered.  2 minutes after she sat in the seat she started snoring loudly, and woke up only after the aircraft landed in Dubai.

"Like" Discord

Nowadays it is crucial to do image management, and portray this image of being a far-sighted visionary Leader. Accordingly, I took a selfie of me looking into the far distance, and posted it as my profile photo on fb.

Unfortunately, my wife too decided to update her profile photo the same day.  Here are the 2 photos - and you can see whose photo is clearly superior (mine of course) ...........

In about an hour she mentioned triumphantly "25 likes so far".  I checked mine - no "like" so far.

Another hour later she said "50 likes".  I checked mine - nothing so far.  I was getting highly irritated now.  I mean to say, where are my friends?  Where are the guys who like Intellect?  What are they doing?  Can't they just use one of their fingers and bail me out of this terrible situation?

My wife seemed to be wallowing in her superiority over me - constantly monitoring fb and giving a running commentary on the accumulating "Likes".  Why, she even took her mobile phone into the bathroom, and came out 5 minutes later and triumphantly announced :" I just went in for 5 minutes, and have got another 50 likes".

I mean this is the height!  But there may be a secret there.  I too took my phone into the bathroom.  My son was waiting for me outside the bathroom when I came out. "Let me guess - no likes yet, right?" he said.  That fellow likes to rub it in.

Likes : 192 Comments : 15

By the end of the day, the scores read:

Likes : 1 Comments : 2

Even the 2 comments for my photo were politely enquiring whether I was alright.

That is it.  I am off fb from now on.  

Success - Cherish It

Here are my key learnings from the very interesting talk given by Swami Swaroopanand of Chinmaya Mission.

1.  Even the most apparently "Successful" person (e.g. CEOs of very successful organisations) when they introspect feel that they are not successful. The feeling of Success is very elusive and very very temporal.

2. Success is inevitably linked to material wealth.  Yes, material wealth is one of the measures of success (and in fact Hinduism is the only religion that actually worships wealth as a Goddess) - and which is why people like to flaunt their material wealth.  But there are many more - and more important - parameters for defining Success.

3. Some others define Success as "Happiness by Achieving one's goals".  Yes, this is a better definition of Success, but still not good enough.  We may set goals (e.g. buying a house, getting a promotion etc) - but goals keep stretching as we achieve each milestone - and every time we achieve a goal it does not give us any real feeling of being Successful.

4. The real definition of Success is in the feeling of one's own potential being maximised.  Nothing makes a person feel more Unsuccessful than being grossly under-utilised relative to his potential.

5. If a person is stretched to the maximum (in a way that is relevant to his potential/talent), then that itself gives him a Bigger Purpose in Life.  This discovery of the Bigger Purpose itself gives a feeling of Success and hence satisfaction.  As long as a person is really doing his utmost, then the fruits of the efforts (i.e. the goals) become less important, and the fear of failure vanishes. The ability to take Risks (in line with one's potential) increases.

6. In order to achieve this, one has to get out of the mentality of "Small" thinking and Negativity  - hence it is critical that we operate in an environment that fosters confidence, provides encouragement, and is filled with Positivity.

7. The role of Leadership in creating this right environment for fostering Success is therefore crucial. Most people believe that a Leader has to rule by dominance - and dominance does sometimes lead to short term success for a leader.  However, in the long term the only leadership style that sustains the feeling of Success is the loving environment where the leader helps identify each of his subordinates' potential, and encourages each person to maximise his potential.   

Investment Learnings - Cycles

Fortunes are made on the stock market only when a person buys under-valued stocks in well managed companies at the bottom of a cycle, and then rides the cycle with patience.  However, a lot of us wait for the cycle to turn, and then lose hope and sell off prematurely, just before we see dawn. And we therefore lose the opportunity to make the fortune, and end up with a big loss instead.

But be careful - riding the business cycle is relevant when talking about industries, not about individual companies.  While industries recover, it is not necessary that an individual company in that industry recover from the cycle due to some strategic errors it has made.  To illustrate, about a decade ago I had invested in a company called Moser-Baer which is into manufacture of data storage systems and solar photo-voltaic cells - both big ticket items about 10 years ago.  I assumed I had made a good study of the trends, and invested wisely in a company which was into 2 high growth sectors.

I was badly mistaken.

1.While there will always be a need for data storage systems, the problem was that this organisation had defined data storage systems as physical hard-drives, and CD-ROMS - so it was left out in the cold when the storage system moved rapidly into a cloud platform.

2. Similarly its solar cells business got into trouble when the technology rapidly changed and a superior form of solar cells with greater efficiency came into the market at lower price points.

In both these cases, the move away from a format is irreversible, though both the industries emerged from the cycle stronger. Hence I was forced to cut my losses and run.

What about basic industries such as shipping and mining which are currently at its nadir?  My belief is that these industries have existed for centuries in more or less the same form, and will never go out of existence.  So those holding shipping and mining stocks in ethically run organisations - keep your faith for a little longer, and hold - and to quote Howard Marks, the legendary investor, you will surely gain when the cycle turns.

Party Games & Domestic Harmony

Domestic harmony was almost destabilized yesterday.

We were attending a friends’ wedding anniversary party.  All was going well, until one of the enthusiastic ladies suddenly got up and announced grandly “We are going to have a game”.  She then paused dramatically and expectantly waited to hear the cheers and whoops of delight.

All the gentlemen were busy trying to see whether they have lost anything beneath the table. But that was a trivial challenge for her and within a matter of minutes, she had rounded up all the men and lined them up in a straight line with their eyes blind-folded.

“The game is simple.  All you men have to do is to answer correctly a few questions about your wife” she said.

A collective groan went up from the assembled men – there is no surer way to upset domestic bliss as getting things wrong about the spouse in a public forum.  But there was no escape.

So there I was, my head all wrapped up like an honourable al Qaeda representative, and the 1^st question was thrown at me : “Describe what your wife is wearing now on her feet”.

Is her shoe black, brown or blue? I wondered.  Or maybe it is the yellow sandals that she might have borrowed from my daughter.

I took a guess : “brown shoes” I said. 

“You are wrong – it is black” a triumphant voice announced.

“Oh, oh” – I felt like making a dash for the exit – but the thick blind-fold prevented me from knowing where the exit was.

4 more questions followed.  I was lucky, I got the rest correct. 

There was 1 gentlemen who got only 1 answer correct, and another 3 who got only 2 correct.  What losers!

These loser husbands were given minor punishments such as lifting up their wife. Of course, the way their shoulders drooped, it was apparent that the loser husbands were sure there will be more severe punishments to follow at home.

I did not wait for the 2^nd game – did not want to trust my luck too much.

In Awe

That God exists is a fact for me.  The number of times He has come to my rescue, and showered me with his benevolence and generosity leaves me with no doubt.

I love my God.  But I also am afraid of him.  Whenever I have done anything mean or selfish, punishment has been quick and severe.  Fear of Him keeps me on the straight and narrow path.  It forces me to think carefully about the implications before I take any action - and it constantly reminds me to be humble.

When I think of God, the word that comes to my mind is "Awe" - and I suspect this is because of the combination of Love and Fear I have for Him.

I wish one day I can truthfully say that the only emotion that comes to my mind when I think of Him is Love. But for that to happen I need to evolve to a different higher level - and I think that is going to take me a long time.

Thank you for a Marvellous 20

A rather reticent young man met a very charming vivacious young lady. They first met at a restaurant over orange juice, and then they continued the conversation sitting on the steps leading to an old water well in her garden. He sat tongue tied as usual – while this beautiful young lady kept on chattering excitedly.  Being more comfortable in the company of books and music, he wondered with astonishment how someone could chatter so much and yet make sense.

Every now and then she will stop and ask him “so what are you thinking?”.  He badly wanted to make an impression on her, and express all the emotions that was flooding within him.   But all he could muster – much to her amusement – was that “my mind is blank”.  

In the 20 years since then, this lady has been more than just an interesting conversationalist and an exceptional loving person.  She also put up with his eccentricities - whether it is his peculiar food tastes (he finally has a paunch to prove it), or his vagabond "here today, there tomorrow" nature. 

Vandana, thank you for formally letting me into your life 20 years ago. You have been my pillar and inspiration these past 20 years - and I consider myself exceptionally lucky.