Have been thinking of writing something for quite some time now but the hectic schedule kept me away.
Recently while having evening snacks with my colleagues at a nearby joint , we had a heated discussion on being politically correct versus having an impartial view. We agreed that being politically correct was necessary for survival in the corporate world. What with all the managers and leads playing games to out do each other and impose their authority on the poor juniors? You never know when you have to make decisions which stretch your conscience to its utmost limit.
Even then one must admit that to be politically correct you have to have a decent amount of grey cells and be a pretty artful speaker. Being politically correct does not necessarily mean not taking sides. It rather means taking the right side at the right time. It corroborates the saying that right is not always right. It is an art which can only be mastered with experience.
Sometimes to be politically correct all you have to do is be powerful, at least within your area of influence. With power comes authority and in that limited kingdom of yours you will always be politically right. When people do not have the power to cross your decisions or defy your will, all that you say will be politically correct, no matter what the others think.
Let me explain this theory further with US A's example. Being the most powerful nation on Earth America does not need to be politically correct all the time, or let me put it this way, there are times when whatever America does becomes politically correct. People may crib about its defiance of UN and other nations but US unabashedly implements its decisions and policies for its own gain.
Take Iraq's example, a lot of hue and cry was raised when US attacked Iraq on pretext of weapons of mass destruction ( its well known though that Iraq was an easy target and with the amount of oil it has, a rather strategic investment) but could anyone actually do anything about it. In fact many European nations who had objected to its attack had to send troops to fight in Iraq as they are a part of NATO ( which shows how foolproof or how carefully detailed are its foreign policies).
Will discuss this some other time, gotta catch on some pending task now.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Friday, June 1, 2007
SLOW DOWN CULTURE an interesting article.LOL .
It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for
them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes
2years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.
Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense
of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a
need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow
movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate,
hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end,
this always yields better results.
Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo , a state in Brazil .
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm, has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned
companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.
The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the
hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive
early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000
employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything,
either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed
parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there
are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early
we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a
place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.Nowadays,
there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that
people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food,
spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against
its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a
lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe,
as mentioned by Business Week.
Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness"
generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity"
(life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality
of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more
productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour
workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow
attitude has brought forth the US 's attention, pupils of the fast and the
"do it now!".
This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower
productivity. It means working and doing things with greater
quality,productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress.
It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time.
Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and
anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.
It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and
more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do.
It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious
quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of
products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.
In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl
to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute
now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they
dance to a tango.
Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we
die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others
are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present,
which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout
the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of
us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".
Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many
who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this
globalized world.
It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for
them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes
2years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.
Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense
of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a
need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow
movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate,
hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end,
this always yields better results.
Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo , a state in Brazil .
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm, has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned
companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.
The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the
hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive
early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000
employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything,
either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed
parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there
are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early
we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a
place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.Nowadays,
there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that
people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food,
spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against
its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a
lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe,
as mentioned by Business Week.
Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness"
generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity"
(life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality
of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more
productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour
workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow
attitude has brought forth the US 's attention, pupils of the fast and the
"do it now!".
This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower
productivity. It means working and doing things with greater
quality,productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress.
It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time.
Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and
anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.
It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and
more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do.
It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious
quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of
products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.
In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl
to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute
now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they
dance to a tango.
Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we
die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others
are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present,
which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout
the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of
us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".
Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many
who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this
globalized world.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
feel
Just some thing I felt like writing.....................
do i need to be here?
or did i ever want to be here?
did this happen because of you?
or did this happen because it had to ?
do i need to go on?
or do i need someone to hold on?
do you love me?
or have i ever loved you?
was i short of time?
or did i not try?
do i feel happy?
or have i never known sadness?
is this my life?
or have i ever lived one?
question my feelings?
or feel my questions?
do i need to be here?
or did i ever want to be here?
did this happen because of you?
or did this happen because it had to ?
do i need to go on?
or do i need someone to hold on?
do you love me?
or have i ever loved you?
was i short of time?
or did i not try?
do i feel happy?
or have i never known sadness?
is this my life?
or have i ever lived one?
question my feelings?
or feel my questions?
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