Performance saga

Performance ....the word defines itself, is an important aspect of everybody's life whether its a school going child, a mother, a technician, a barber or even an engine. But what I am going to talk about here is the performance of a professional in a professional environment which we normally call as a office or for some people it may be a hotel or a petrol pump. So, I will call it workplace for the sake of convenience.

Measuring professional performance has always been a difficult task for managers and supervisors of any industry or services ,specially, when it has to be non-biased.

A corporate workplace is like a jungle where we find people as fierce like a lion and as cunning as a fox, then there are elephants who move around fearing nobody and have their separate space.
But when it comes to performance time or rather say the appraisal time all these wild animals become as gentle and hardworking as ants that anybody who has been remotely associated with the corporate world can imagine!!

Then the question arises in the mind of a manager " How to rate my reportees, they all seems to be good". But the problem is that, he has a limited supply of goodies for them. So what to do now ??
Now comes the most interesting part of this saga..and guess what ?? yeah its "unprofessionalism".

So, many thoughts, previous history of ratings and even personal relations now become a criteria for rating employees. "How many times did you smile at me in the last year" may now become the most relevant question for somebody's appraisal. "Doesn't matter if he could not achieve the targets", Ummmm....wait a bit " Were the targets given at the first time?" huh!! .
I will see to it that he does proper job next time but he has worked hard and had been nice to me...
By now the manager is clear about his decision based on the perfect blend of imaginary targets and ever-volatile personal relations.

But whats going on in the minds of employees of that manager who are going to be rated ?????????

A: " I have been working so hard all round the year. I did this , that ...blah blah...." "I should be rewarded properly or else I would have no choice but to leave this organisation."
B: " Yeah !! I have been projecting my work so well that manager must be happy by now and give me the top grades..he has no choice whatsoever."
C :"Its been long since I have worked on a thing which could really uncover my talent and I have told this to manager also...what he may be thinking..."
D: "I know that all this affairs are so secret and fair that nobody can influence it whatsoever, the god will do justice with me, after all I have been fair to all."

The traditional and professional methods of measuring performance cannot survive and are looked upon as over idealistic ways to tackle the task of appraisals which require a great deal of human touch and non-professionalism.

As wisely said by somebody " time and tide waits for none". The time for final declaration of results were about to come . The employees were awaiting like small children wait for sweets to be distributed. Workplace environment also senses the change and acts accordingly ..becomes the most happening place in the world in one moment and there prevails the silence of the sea in another moment.

Feelings of joy, anger, fear often mixed with an aroma of selfishness and hate mix in the oxygen and all living beings whether living or dead ( dead men working) are affected by its presence.
The time which was long awaited comes near and the productivity index falls like it has been stepped upon by angad( Hindu mythology character with firmest foot on earth).

Even the mutest of the guys in workplace now start socialising and there is a sense of unity among employees which sees company management in an enemy role.

Managers are looked upon as messiah and employees leave no stone unturned to see that they belong to valuable but unsatisfied lot.

As the D day approaches, rumours take the front seat of every vehicle and completely take over the cerebrum part of brain. Expectancy reaches its highest and even anxiety gets excited.

How to say ?? The results were out and it was decided in a so called high level meeting that there would be no increase in salaries this year and hope that all employees would keep their faith in the company management as before and strive for working hard even than before.

Employees were dissatisfied as always, even if hike was 50 % the state of minds would have been same but it was just the cycle of performance saga which runs every year which made them feel bad for some time. This cycle makes some to resign and see some new entries as well at the end.

What doesn't change is the saga and its legacy.....

BENCH

How does it feel to be on bench? It is something that most of the software engineers might have experienced sometime in their professional lives except the lucky ones which were saved by the wrath of the economic recession. Now the question arises what a person can possibly do while on a bench? If it was physically a bench one could always lie down and sleep but it is not true in most of the cases. So, there is a scope of business for a company which can provide solutions and activities to the bench stuck talented people in every industry. I have come up with some ideas for them.
Its time to recollect your strengths and start devoting time to something that you always wanted to do sometime in your life and were running short of time.

For the people who have a incline towards writing can indulge in writing blogs, novels, poetry etc.
Joining some health club to remove the pressure off your minds is another way to chill out while simultaneously gaining in terms of overall health.
Join a NGO and work for the benefit of the underprivileged people in and around your city. Joining a pre- established NGO can be a better option for those who are new in this field. It will be a experience for a lifetime.
Hmm... For the younger ones, entering into a new relationship can be a option and who knows may be you can meet your dream boy or girl in the process.

Professionals should consider about getting trained on new fields and developing their existing skill set which will help them in future.

Networking and getting reconnected with your old colleagues and friends is something that everybody should do. Visit your native place and recollect the old memories of the times spent together. Go to your college and meet your old teachers and professors, Enquire about their well being and thank them for being so nice to you when you were a kid or at college.

Last but not the least Most important and most rewarding activity would be to try constantly to come out of this status which is called ON BENCH.

आलोचना

दूर गगन के पार से कर रहा
वार मुझ पर वो बारम्बार
कहीं शरण की जगह नहीं
है वो सबका मालिक निर्विकार
कभी कभी झलक रौशनी की
अन्यथा सर्वदा सत्ता है अन्धकार की
क्यों वो करता है ये ज़ुल्म ये अत्याचार
मन मेरा ही करता मुझसे प्रशन बारम्बार

उसकी सत्ता के मोहरे हैं हम
किन्तु जड़ता का मोह करते हम
स्वतः चलायमान हो पाते जो अगर
सरल सुगम हो जाती जीवन डगर
क्यों रखता वो समस्त अधिकार
हम हैं क्या निश्छल निर्जीव
बस चलते फिरते कर्तव्यों का भार
अब बहुत हुई मनमानी और अत्याचार
नहीं सहेंगे ये दुष्टता बारम्बार

करना है अब निष्पक्ष विचार और अचार
क्या ज़रूरी है मानव और उसका व्यवहार
होगा जो अति बलवान अगर वो
देगा शमा हर बार हमें वो
करना है अब हमे आचार वही
जो मांगे पल पल का प्रत्युत्तर
बढना है बस उसी पथ पर
जो करे युध्घोश उसकी सता पर
लड़ना होगा पराजय से बार बार
अंतिम सुख की शय्या मिलने तक बारम्बार

I can't see

She is cute
She is beautiful
She is sassy
She is lovable
But invisible, I can’t see.

She cares for me
She is the future I see
She is the light within me
She is a pretty gal
But invisible, I can’t see.

She may also love me
She and I can be together as we
She is the world for me
I promised to THE But invisible, I can’t see.

My conversations with a mumbai taxiwallah

Recently I had a chance to visit the economic capital of world's largest democracy Although my motives were different and I had no intentions even in my wildest of dreams to discuss the opinion of a taxiwallah about nano. But i think it was the long journey and the freshness of mumbai morning that motivated me for the discussion. I asked him about his perception about nano and the response i got was not expected by me at least. He declared it a toy car, and then all the journey from Navi mumbai to Andheri went in convincing him that its a real car and it runs on normal gasoline fuel.
He was really pissed of with the pricing which was now within reach of many people and expressed his worry about the loans that poor people will take to have the luxury of owning a "car". It was that moment that i felt so small and immediately a picture took its shape in my cerebrum part of brain. where a poor auto wallah is selling his auto to a moneylender just bcoz her wife wants a nano car. I could imagine people fighting on the ration shop over the subsidized petrol available for nano owners who are below poverty line.
Then a thought process started, whether the car was really needed or it was just a gimmick in the eyes of people of India that it is a car for the masses.
Although i could convince the taxiwallah about the benefits of nano over his old kaali peeli fiat which guzzles out smoke at the rate of a fully loaded truck. But, I could sense the attachment and affection of taxiwallah and his unwillingness to part with his old Fiat whatever may be the case.
I had reached andheri by now and was thinking about the interview which was going to happen in the next one hour.

Professional dilemma

There are things which are politically correct, then there are some which are technically correct but most dangerous are those which are politically correct and technically incorrect. As an engineer it is always desirable from me that I should deliver things that are technically correct but at the same time the political correctness is also required.
Sometimes it becomes difficult to cope with such situations where reputation of someone is at stake. Now the question arises, what is the correct way : Doing justice to the engineering profession or doing justice to the relations that you have developed over a period of time or doing justice to your personal benefits watever may be the outcome.
If I see around there are many people who show that they are working for the product or doing justice with the profession but internally they have motives that are devestating for the culture and not in the best interest of the product.
And no doubt these people can rise to higher positions and handle much more sophisticated things but wat worries me is the fact that whether with time those people going to change??
If the answer is no then the situation is alarming and I m worried with the evolution of this new trend of opportunitism.

Feeling light as air....confidence is the key

Today is Sunday and as usual I cursed the company management in the morning for keeping Thursday off policy. I was woke up really early today and had the time to have a look at news.
A company as big is General Motors is approaching towards its end. Despite constant and regular layoffs its revival is impossible without Federal aid.
I appreciate TATA management for maintaining its ethical and philanthropic approach even in these difficult times. Although it has laid some temporary workers, it is not going to be sufficient. I don't know the strategy of the company but corporate spokesperson has denied any possibility of further layoffs.
I am feeling light because I feel this blogging and writing on a couple of sites is really interesting and gives fruitful results. Ya you guessed it right ....I got in contact with an alum of ISB and now my queries will get answered.....hurrah..
As if time was not going too fast, I have accepted training request for DC training from 17th to 20th NOV. Now I have to complete the application process before 17 th . Wish me good luck as I am feeling very confident today.

feeling choked with these questions.....

Work in the office has increased exponentially, and I am not getting enough time to focus on essay part of my ISB application. As usual I am banking on last days which can be fatal. I don't know why engineers develop a habit of leaving things to the last moment. The very thought of writing these essays is giving me nightmares. Why you want to do MBA from a particular school? What kind of a question is this. Since, neither I have the score to apply to Harvard and nor I own a billion dollar company which can get me a honorary degree from it , I am applying to this particular school. Will they accept this as a reason which is very true for me and many other applicants.If these business schools boast to be best in the world, then why they admit only the best. Why don't they admit an average or below average student with a pathetic profile and develop them then into future leaders and managers.?
I am full of these kind of silly questions and hoping that adcom members don't read the blog.

Which is the right path....?

Working and earning a living to enjoy.....is it the right path? Devoting your life to your family......is it the right path? constantly striving for growth by all means......is it the right path? or working for the benefit of common man......is it the right path? Sometimes these thoughts come to my mind take my sleep away? I really become very uncomfortable. Now what causes this uncomfort is the question I am struggling with now a days. Right now I want to follow all the paths at the same time but it is not possible for a guy like me with limited resources and knowledge to make it happen.
I see people around me who are least bothered about these non- productive and absurd issues and I see no fault of them in thinking so, because all people are different and everybody has aright to think and act in his/her own way. But, what really bothers me is the thing that, how come so many people are living and just living, day by day, without any specific goals in their life or objectives.
This thought came to my mind when I happened to converse with a fellow colleague about his life. It goes like this
Why do you come to office?
To earn
Why you want to earn?
To meet my both ends meet, to cater to the need of my family and food etc.
Why you wanna do that?
Because there is no body else
If there had been somebody else, what would you have been doing?
Probably the same thing
See now the question arises, also if there had been somebody else to earn a living, he would be doing the same damn job. Here what lacks is the clarity of objectives in life and billions of people in this world are like him only. Any solutions..............???

In search of myself....

I am passing through an important phase in my life and working hard to make my life more complicated. During these last two months my perception of this world has changed. Now I see the world from a different angle. Suddenly, it seems to me that, life is full of opportunities and those need to be explored.
I don't really know,what has brought this change in me but it is for sure that I am going to take some different path in my career and life very soon. Only I need the threshold energy for it.
My desire to do MBA may be only a part of this process and but is one of the most important step to achieve the transition.