Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Story & a little more

Loss Efforts Despair More-efforts = +ve Results
There is learning from every incident. Just need an open mind ……

Recently I happened to drop my expensive medicine somewhere on the way back from the Chemist Shop, late in the evening. Naturally got a little upset but was reluctant to go back and retrace 2 X 2 Kms at that time. So tried to procrastinate by deferring the search to early morning next day in better light conditions.
My wife however, pushed me to try and search for the medicine then itself. I reluctantly gave in and moved out with her on the scoot. Before leaving I made a call to the store adjacent to the Chemist's shop from where I had stopped to buy some last minute purchases, but they drew a blank. In fact I had retraced my route up to the ice cream vendor round the corner before I initially decided to defer the hunt.
The whole retracing trip proved futile. Being late in the evening few of the colony gates had closed restricting the entry/exits for security reasons. As a result had to take a circuitous route for the search. On the last stretch closer home, for which we had to take detour due to restricted entry, my wife spotted something by the roadside in the dark. It was the overrun outer packing of the medicine purchased but minus the contents. We tried to look around as the medicine still could be safe being packed in the small blister packed plastic bottle, which was not yet found. Locating the outer paper box had given some hope, but it seemed that somebody had taken out the medicine and thrown away the outer wrapper. We gave up the search with the thought- ‘one more check at the spot early in the morning' as the darkness made the hunt difficult. In heart of heart I didn’t have much hope after finding the bashed up empty outer wrapper with the blister packed medicine gone.
Though was a bit late in getting up the following morning, still half heartedly took my little 7 year old son Khush for cycling to the same spot, thinking at least the little one would enjoy the cycling trip and the treasure hunt. After all, the medicine had costed almost a thousand bucks.

After about 15 minutes of scavenging we gave up and started back. Lo behold !!! About 70-100 meters away from where we found the outer wrapper last night, lay the burst blister pack with the little plastic eye drop bottle peeping out. The bottle was a little bruised but the contents were still safe. Definitely it had been run over by some vehicle and not picked up by somebody as the thoughts ran earlier last night.

A simple incident. But felt there had to be something more to it. It was not merely a question of Rs.622.00 to be precise….did this need all that fuss and the efforts made? It had to be something more than money which needed to be understood, dwelled upon and shared.

So simply started analyzing critically…….
Firstly, with small costly items we need to be a little more careful, rather than carelessly shove them in the pocket - else you would also end up foolishly loitering in the night-as I did.
Secondly, ONE seems to give up after a mild effort by saying -"maine koshish toe ki thee, magar" (at least I gave it a try, but…) – my first recce up to ice-cream vendor round the corner and a call to the store adjacent to the chemist shop gave me enough reasons to give up & digest the loss.

Thirdly, A little push and support from the team members (in this case my wife), helps. But we must heed to such advice which is generally over looked and not taken seriously. We should not give up without sincere and serious efforts.

Lastly, A relook after the first attempt under the changed environs (day light instead of darkness in my case) makes the difference.

Can we extrapolate the above experience in our other of day to day aspects in life?

Try this to the present AIR INDIA scenario…. Where the esteem, profits and image of the company, all seem to have been lost. It appears to be dark all around.

Half hearted efforts at this stage to turn round and get back our lost glory may not get the desired results. Half is never equal to one or full. Our such half hearted efforts in the DARKNESS of recession, political play, no responsibility, personal interest before the company 's interest and so on "may just help to find only the coffin" (the over run outer wrapper).

We should not give up in the difficult times. In-fact should keep on making serious & sincere efforts, with a relook when the environment changes……..

PS: With small costly items be a little more careful than carelessly shoving in the pocket - Our product 'the Space we sell' and "the aircraft" are expensive and are not for the general masses. So we should be not be careless while handling the aircraft (expensive medicine) and the space which is a perishable
.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

WHY CORRUPTION ?????

Why CORRUPTION ???

People fall into the trap of corruption because they
-commit mistakes
-make lapses
-fail to meet the required deadlines

All this due to lack of proper communications of systems and procedures which in themselves are not customer friendly.
The timelines/locations are not up-to customer’s convenience - 24hours online services are an answer to this kind of problems.
The people should be bold and courageous enough to come forward and face the penalties - not to go in for short cuts/escape route. In-fact such escape routes should be made difficult (by good policing/monitoring/plugging the gaps) & unviable (high risk and low margins).

Community Culture to be developed in way that it encourages FIGHTERS than the FIXERS. The growing and the expanding Companies who hires FIXERS to cut through the RED TAPE ETC should HIRE FIGHTERS who anticipate these bottle necks and then plan /strategies’ within the legal rights. The companies should anticipate and build in the cost/time due to the FIGHT OUTS rather than going in for THE PAYOUTS. The real winners should be the achievers who gets the results by fighting out, rather than the achievers who gets the results by paying out instead of fixing-up.

Could be the Psychology of Being Beyond The Rules. If we promote the right and questioning attitude (RTI IS A STEP FORWARD) we may be able to check corruption. If one is wrong in his action from there only the weakness starts and one tends to bend backwards. It is here that the corruption starts. The guy at the other end will milk you if he knows that you are vulnerable.

A momentum needs to be built “involving the Hearts & Minds” of the people, where people take pride in achieving without Paying up.

Next step is to MAKE THE LAW WORK. The systems and procedures should be redesigned in a way so as to make the role of any kind of middleman unattractive/un-remunerative. This is possible by bringing about effective e-governance, more n more online facilities. Proper Communication/awareness of the system, procedures, rules regulations will also help in avoiding the middlemen. Further the Rates and Taxes should be practical and convenient to apply so that the public is not discouraged but encouraged to PAY-UP.