"Small-wins strategy is used to describe Gary Loveman's encouragement of efforts aimed at rapidly identifying and implementing a host of small steps to reduce services and amenities in ways that do not alienate customers.
As University of Michigan professor Karl Weick has shown, when people frame problems as enormous and insurmountable challenges, this drives up their anxiety and causes them to feel helpless: the problem seems so big that there is nothing they can do to make progress. They therefore freak out and freeze in their tracks. Breaking down a problem into bite-sized pieces (what Weick calls small wins) calms people and helps them take constructive action. This strategy is especially useful during tough times, as it both dampens fears and gives people a much-needed feeling of control — and enables them to make collective progress in the right direction."
Tuesday
Wednesday
Quick Note
Got this from a Facebook status of a friend and wanted to make a quick note of it.
Every situation in life has only two solutions.. one: accept and two: change.
1. Accept what you can't change and,
2. Change what you can't accept.
Some more:
Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can't, you are right.
- Henry Ford
I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become.
- Oprah Winfrey
What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.
-Goethe
The purpose of life is a life with purpose.
- Robert Byrne
( I must have wasted countless hours in my undergrad wondering about the purpose of life, and reading books after books to get at that answer. The above statement is such a simple and profoundly meaningful answer to all those questions...)
To begin with you must know what drives you. Simply because not knowing will mean that you can never begin to satisfy yourself. What does money mean for someone who hungers for love?
- Napoleon Hill
Service is the rent we pay to be living. It is the very purpose of life...and not something you do in your spare time.
- Marian Wright Edelman
Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but though fidelity to a worthy purpose.
- Helen Keller
Man cannot discover oceans, until he has courage to lose sight of the shore.
-Christopher Columbus
To find yourself, think for yourself.
-Anon
Learn your lessons quickly, and move on.
-Anon
Your pain is the breaking of a shell that encloses your understanding.
-Anon
To live, is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.
-Oscar Wilde
There is one quality that one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.
- Napoleon Hill
Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.
-Theodore Rubin
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting out aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.
-Michelangelo
Aim for the moon, that way, even if you miss you'll still be amongst the stars!
-W. Clement Stone
Every situation in life has only two solutions.. one: accept and two: change.
1. Accept what you can't change and,
2. Change what you can't accept.
Some more:
Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can't, you are right.
- Henry Ford
I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become.
- Oprah Winfrey
What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.
-Goethe
The purpose of life is a life with purpose.
- Robert Byrne
( I must have wasted countless hours in my undergrad wondering about the purpose of life, and reading books after books to get at that answer. The above statement is such a simple and profoundly meaningful answer to all those questions...)
To begin with you must know what drives you. Simply because not knowing will mean that you can never begin to satisfy yourself. What does money mean for someone who hungers for love?
- Napoleon Hill
Service is the rent we pay to be living. It is the very purpose of life...and not something you do in your spare time.
- Marian Wright Edelman
Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but though fidelity to a worthy purpose.
- Helen Keller
Man cannot discover oceans, until he has courage to lose sight of the shore.
-Christopher Columbus
To find yourself, think for yourself.
-Anon
Learn your lessons quickly, and move on.
-Anon
Your pain is the breaking of a shell that encloses your understanding.
-Anon
To live, is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.
-Oscar Wilde
There is one quality that one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.
- Napoleon Hill
Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.
-Theodore Rubin
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting out aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.
-Michelangelo
Aim for the moon, that way, even if you miss you'll still be amongst the stars!
-W. Clement Stone
Tuesday
Trifecta
Tragedy
[ sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad]
[ sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad]
[ sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad]
[ sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad]
[ sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad happy carAccident]
[ sad sad happy sad OK-OK happy sad OK-OK ]
[ happy sad happy sad OK-OK happy sad sad ]
[ sad happy happy happy happy happy happy ]
[ happy happy happy happy happy happy happy ]
[ happy happy happy happy happy happy Samadhi]
The Common Man
[ sad happy sad happy sad happy sad happy Puberty ]
[ sad happy sad happy sad happy sad happy Graduation ]
[ sad happy sad happy sad happy sad happy FirstLove ]
[ happy happy happy happy sad sad sad sad JobMarriageKidsResponsibility ]
[ sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad...ad infinitum ]
-----------
©Aditya
The Common Man
[ sad happy sad happy sad happy sad happy Puberty ]
[ sad happy sad happy sad happy sad happy Graduation ]
[ sad happy sad happy sad happy sad happy FirstLove ]
[ happy happy happy happy sad sad sad sad JobMarriageKidsResponsibility ]
[ sad sad sad sad sad sad sad sad...ad infinitum ]
-----------
©Aditya
Friday
Why O Why?
I lie on the ground
beaten broken and covered in dust
every bone in my body aches
How did it come to this?
I almost had the world in my fingers, only to let it slip away
A million eyes, a million hopes rested on my shoulders
Everyone thought I would bring them glory
an escape from the daily drubbing they get
At work, at home - ordinary lives
They believed I would make their lives extraordinary
even if for a second
Truly time waits for no one
and turns back for no one
Beside me uninhibited joy and sadness reign together
A thousand joyless faces and a thousand joyful ones
And I the cause and reason for both
Hateful, hated, angry, desperate and pissed off
A friendly hand touches my shoulder, trying to lift me up
"Get up child", an old voice says. "This is not the end"
"I wish it was" I mutter and shrug his hand off
And then get up and walk looking around me
This moment will never come back again
The feeling that could have been will happen again
I will never experience what could have been.
One second. Two seconds. Three Seconds.
Tic Tic one, Tic Tic two, Tic Tic three
and then the whole world fell silent
Like time stops and whacks me over the head.
Why O Why did I miss that penalty shot?
beaten broken and covered in dust
every bone in my body aches
How did it come to this?
I almost had the world in my fingers, only to let it slip away
A million eyes, a million hopes rested on my shoulders
Everyone thought I would bring them glory
an escape from the daily drubbing they get
At work, at home - ordinary lives
They believed I would make their lives extraordinary
even if for a second
Truly time waits for no one
and turns back for no one
Beside me uninhibited joy and sadness reign together
A thousand joyless faces and a thousand joyful ones
And I the cause and reason for both
Hateful, hated, angry, desperate and pissed off
A friendly hand touches my shoulder, trying to lift me up
"Get up child", an old voice says. "This is not the end"
"I wish it was" I mutter and shrug his hand off
And then get up and walk looking around me
This moment will never come back again
The feeling that could have been will happen again
I will never experience what could have been.
One second. Two seconds. Three Seconds.
Tic Tic one, Tic Tic two, Tic Tic three
and then the whole world fell silent
Like time stops and whacks me over the head.
Why O Why did I miss that penalty shot?
Thursday
When to be Arrogant, when Not to Be
Arrogance or overbearing pride is usually regarded as something bad.
I had a mathematics professor who used to say that pride is an essential quality in mathematicians, and he was right.
In a competitive cutthroat world one has to be proud enough to be able to defend one's position in society and vie for better ones. Pride is essential for survival. But acting proud or arrogant towards people inferior to you is lamentable.
Be proud when you have to fight. Be the bigger person and humble, when you don't.
I had a mathematics professor who used to say that pride is an essential quality in mathematicians, and he was right.
In a competitive cutthroat world one has to be proud enough to be able to defend one's position in society and vie for better ones. Pride is essential for survival. But acting proud or arrogant towards people inferior to you is lamentable.
Be proud when you have to fight. Be the bigger person and humble, when you don't.
Tuesday
Who is God?
People have been fighting over this question for so long, its foolish.
God is a manifestation of everything good, pure and noble within us. When we pray to God we are praying to the noblest of our impulses for strength, not to anything external. Belief is God is akin to belief is good over evil, truth over dishonesty, service over sloth.
People enlightened over the ages (who realized this and so much more - like the oneness of mankind) like Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, Mohammad and among the living gurus Sri Ravi Shankar, Osho etc have created & propounded religion as a means to help followers remain moral and good.
People arguing over superiority of religion is not only stupid, its childish. People fighting over faith is even more ignorant.
Being good, truthful, honest and keeping good of the society in mind, is what every religion teaches.
God is a manifestation of everything good, pure and noble within us. When we pray to God we are praying to the noblest of our impulses for strength, not to anything external. Belief is God is akin to belief is good over evil, truth over dishonesty, service over sloth.
People enlightened over the ages (who realized this and so much more - like the oneness of mankind) like Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, Mohammad and among the living gurus Sri Ravi Shankar, Osho etc have created & propounded religion as a means to help followers remain moral and good.
People arguing over superiority of religion is not only stupid, its childish. People fighting over faith is even more ignorant.
Being good, truthful, honest and keeping good of the society in mind, is what every religion teaches.
Monday
Give up regret!
Regret is nothing but a waste;
Therefore, do not regret.
See the light, feel the light, become the light
Of today's dawn
And try not, cry not
To see yesterday's stars, moon and sun.
They are gone.
They should be buried in oblivion-night.
Therefore, do not regret.
See the light, feel the light, become the light
Of today's dawn
And try not, cry not
To see yesterday's stars, moon and sun.
They are gone.
They should be buried in oblivion-night.
- Sri Chinmoy
Saturday
Whats so complicated?
Everything is life is simple. Anybody who tells you that something is too difficult to comprehend is bullshitting.
It is possible to explain anything - from the most complex research or the most intricate decision making process in simple words, that anyone can intuitively understand. And if it not, then it's only because something is being hidden.
It is possible to explain anything - from the most complex research or the most intricate decision making process in simple words, that anyone can intuitively understand. And if it not, then it's only because something is being hidden.
Friday
What is the duty of parents?
I got asked this question sometime back and had a long discussion over it.
In my opinion, parents are responsible for providing a holistic atmosphere for the child to grow and develop.
When I say grow, I mean parents should provide the necessities of life - food, clothes, a roof to live under.
When I say develop, I mean things that make the child special - Education, encouragement, awareness of the world outside, wisdom to learn from mistakes - stuff like that.
Often times good parents provide the former, but forget an important part of the latter. And that is to connect with the child, no matter how old he/she is. To empathize with them, teach by example and talk to them to know their mind.
I saw a video of a mother cheetah protecting her cubs, an act of immense bravery that drives the point of how parents should protect their children from harmful influences - both external and internal.
The main duty of parents is to instill in their children all the skills and wisdom needed to survive in an increasingly harsh and competitive world. Of course all of this while giving the child enough freedom to make his own destiny.
That in my opinion, goes a long way.
In my opinion, parents are responsible for providing a holistic atmosphere for the child to grow and develop.
When I say grow, I mean parents should provide the necessities of life - food, clothes, a roof to live under.
When I say develop, I mean things that make the child special - Education, encouragement, awareness of the world outside, wisdom to learn from mistakes - stuff like that.
Often times good parents provide the former, but forget an important part of the latter. And that is to connect with the child, no matter how old he/she is. To empathize with them, teach by example and talk to them to know their mind.
I saw a video of a mother cheetah protecting her cubs, an act of immense bravery that drives the point of how parents should protect their children from harmful influences - both external and internal.
The main duty of parents is to instill in their children all the skills and wisdom needed to survive in an increasingly harsh and competitive world. Of course all of this while giving the child enough freedom to make his own destiny.
That in my opinion, goes a long way.
Complacency is for rookies
Aren't you comfortable?
If you are not I apologize. But if you are then you are partly like me.
It just takes a slight jolt to bring down a pack of cards. Being comfortable and ignorant of the "world outside" is just like that.
Even the friendliest and most inviting waters have sharks swimming in them. It's up to you to predict them and prepare yourself to be ready for them when they strike. The first step is to be aware of them, something most people who get too comfy forget. This is the world, they think. Oh, how quickly things will heat up for them.
Be aware. Be prepared and ready. Survival in the world is all about self-defense before the hot iron makes contact.
If you are not I apologize. But if you are then you are partly like me.
It just takes a slight jolt to bring down a pack of cards. Being comfortable and ignorant of the "world outside" is just like that.
Even the friendliest and most inviting waters have sharks swimming in them. It's up to you to predict them and prepare yourself to be ready for them when they strike. The first step is to be aware of them, something most people who get too comfy forget. This is the world, they think. Oh, how quickly things will heat up for them.
Be aware. Be prepared and ready. Survival in the world is all about self-defense before the hot iron makes contact.
Tuesday
Venus - Frankie Avalon
Hey, Venus
Oh, Venus
Venus, if you will
Please send a little girl for me to thrill
A girl who wants my kisses and my arms
A girl with all the charms of you
Venus, make her fair
A lovely girl with sunlight in her hair
And take the brightest stars up in the skies
And place them in her eyes for me
Venus, goddess of love that you are
Surely the things I ask
Can't be too great a task
Venus, if you do
I promise that I always will be true
I'll give her all the love I have to give
As long as we both shall live
Venus, goddess of love that you are
Surely the things I ask
Can't be too great a task
Venus if you do
I promise that I always will be true
I'll give her all the love I have to give
As long as we both shall live
Hey, Venus
Oh, Venus
Make my wish come true
Saturday
Group dynamics
"This is Aditya. He's just moved in with us", said a guy I had barely known for a day introducing me a group of about ten people.
They all turned to look at me at the same time, and I literally squirmed uncomfortably. Out of the corner of my eye I could see two girls as well, which made me feel all the more awkward. I started to clumsily remove my jacket and search for a place to hang it.
"So Aditya, what are you studying here? Where did you do your undergrad?" asked a goofy looking guy who, to his credit, looked the friendliest guy in the group. As expected every social introduction in the modern Indian society of geeks begins with the question about where you went to college. And it was a answer I have always dreaded giving, purely because of the amount of expectation it puts on my shoulders every time I say it.
"Uhh...I am doing my PhD here...I just transferred from Michigan. I did my undergrad in IIT".I could notice an almost imperceptible change in the expressions of people. And then it was gone.
"Why don't you help yourself to some bissibelebath?"
I awkwardly scooped up a little into my plate and settled into a corner, trying to distance myself from the more boisterous members of the group. Little did it help because the next volley of questions started from a girl sitting there who, I was sure, was most oblivious to my condition.
"Do you know X?"
"Where did you do your schooling?"
"Have you stayed in Hyderabad all your life?"
"Are you mass or class?" (#$!@?)
"Does X have a mole on his right bum?"
Okay the last one was made up but that doesn't mean it wasn't painful. After they had extracted the last bit of haha's I was left alone with my food. As I nibbled on the food at the ends of my spoon, I realized that the group was indeed very closely knit. Two of them were married, two was related and everyone knew Telugu. It has been a long long time since I have seen camaraderie like this, and maybe it was me given another chance to have some semblance of a social life, by interacting with this group.
I have had a history of solving problems. I discovered a novel proof for the Pythagoras theorem when I was 15. I got into IIT at 18. And I have started my PhD at 25. But there is one problem, the solution to which evades me even today as it does a lot of people like me - "Instead of being alone & bored this thanksgiving, is there anybody I can spend it with?" Maybe meeting a group of people so close and happy with each other was a sign of death of the loner in me. And then, maybe its not.
I learnt a management lesson from this experience. Here it is for what its worth.
Barriers to entry into groups that are already large and successful is much higher than normal. As a group, members expect much more out of new entrants to be "qualified" for their group. (Examples - Consulting, Bollywood) The best way is rapport with individual members before entering the group.
They all turned to look at me at the same time, and I literally squirmed uncomfortably. Out of the corner of my eye I could see two girls as well, which made me feel all the more awkward. I started to clumsily remove my jacket and search for a place to hang it.
"So Aditya, what are you studying here? Where did you do your undergrad?" asked a goofy looking guy who, to his credit, looked the friendliest guy in the group. As expected every social introduction in the modern Indian society of geeks begins with the question about where you went to college. And it was a answer I have always dreaded giving, purely because of the amount of expectation it puts on my shoulders every time I say it.
"Uhh...I am doing my PhD here...I just transferred from Michigan. I did my undergrad in IIT".I could notice an almost imperceptible change in the expressions of people. And then it was gone.
"Why don't you help yourself to some bissibelebath?"
I awkwardly scooped up a little into my plate and settled into a corner, trying to distance myself from the more boisterous members of the group. Little did it help because the next volley of questions started from a girl sitting there who, I was sure, was most oblivious to my condition.
"Do you know X?"
"Where did you do your schooling?"
"Have you stayed in Hyderabad all your life?"
"Are you mass or class?" (#$!@?)
"Does X have a mole on his right bum?"
Okay the last one was made up but that doesn't mean it wasn't painful. After they had extracted the last bit of haha's I was left alone with my food. As I nibbled on the food at the ends of my spoon, I realized that the group was indeed very closely knit. Two of them were married, two was related and everyone knew Telugu. It has been a long long time since I have seen camaraderie like this, and maybe it was me given another chance to have some semblance of a social life, by interacting with this group.
I have had a history of solving problems. I discovered a novel proof for the Pythagoras theorem when I was 15. I got into IIT at 18. And I have started my PhD at 25. But there is one problem, the solution to which evades me even today as it does a lot of people like me - "Instead of being alone & bored this thanksgiving, is there anybody I can spend it with?" Maybe meeting a group of people so close and happy with each other was a sign of death of the loner in me. And then, maybe its not.
I learnt a management lesson from this experience. Here it is for what its worth.
Barriers to entry into groups that are already large and successful is much higher than normal. As a group, members expect much more out of new entrants to be "qualified" for their group. (Examples - Consulting, Bollywood) The best way is rapport with individual members before entering the group.
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