Articlewalla

A Birthday Wish - James Bond Theme Party

2011-12-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

Dedicated to Dipika and her James Bond themed 40th Birthday party n anniversary - here's some Creative writing understanding her copy-writing brain - listing all Bond movies! Also to her Bond husband - live it up guys !

You are a THUNDERBALL who has a GOLDEN EYE influencing people to 'NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN' - Even if there was a DR NO he would have had to say YES to you. I have no doubt Vladimir Putin would have been proud to enroll you in his KGB staff - he sends his wishes FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. Sam says we are mortals who have one chance but with you its different 'YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (maybe more)' because you always have A VIEW TO KILL even sometimes he wonders you have the LICENSE TO KILL and believe in LIVE AND LET DIE. For you THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH and TOMORROW JUST NEVER DIES. Even though you take the LIVING DAYLIGHTS out of him - his QUANTUM OF SOLACE with you has no limitations, for you he'll DIE ANOTHER DAY - You will agree because when you met him he was 'THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN', who had the GOLDFINGER who could fish out the OCTOPUS -SY and be the MOONRAKER FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. He is always 'ON YOUR MAJESTY"S SECRET SERVICE" and this BOND 23 would gamble his life in any place even CASINO ROYALE because he compares his love for you more than all the materialistic pleasures in the world - you are that DIAMOND and DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER.

True Worth of Anonymity

2011-04-13T23:08:00.000-07:00

Fred Allen the famous comedian pointed out ‘They work hard all their lives to become well known, then wear dark glasses to avoid being recognized’. It is no secret that the seemingly glittering life of a celebrity is the one many a layperson silently aspires for in their life span. Ironically on the flipside, the simple life of a layperson is the one many celebrities wouldn’t mind exchanging for, if given a chance.

President Obama, a prime example, recently was candid in his admission saying he regretted his loss of personal privacy. He mentioned ‘I miss being anonymous’ and further stated he misses taking his family for a drive, going to the supermarket, taking walks, or just sitting and watching people pass by at central park - the simple things of life that he as a President cannot have. It is unfortunate that even after he completes his term he will never be able to do all that without being accompanied by his security agents - the current state of a dangerous world and his high position will never allow him to do so.

The 21^st century with the evolvement of the various media industries have given the Celebrity a majestic platform on par with the Gods. Having said that, the advancement of media has been both a boon and a bane to many a celebrity. Whilst it helps in delivering their messages instantly on Twitter or Facebook in getting that instant attention, it certainly doesn’t help when their privacy is infringed upon in a restaurant or a walk down the street with the spouse or the girlfriend.

The Oscar winning actress Reese Witherspoon recently admitted she often cries in her car as she misses going out in public. She however admits her life belongs to other people and she would not trade it. She gives us the impression she is content and pleased, who knows she may be, but the loss and value of the unspoken and simple things of life and those tears are reminders of the immeasurable worth of anonymity she pines for.

Even Cricket genius Sachin Tendulkar concurs that he misses the privacy the average individual enjoys in India. He says he often has to travel abroad to places where the game is not very prominent to enjoy his anonymity. It is a known fact that his Ferrari only gets a view of the otherwise busy Mumbai roads at 3 am in the morning when the world is asleep. Singer Beyonce says she has no problem with the attention she receives on the red carpet. The problem she says arises when one is woken up on a flight by a camera flashing and the request for an autograph. She however acknowledges this is the unfortunate fact of being famous.

Undoubtedly, the most sought after trophy of the celebrity crown comes with a heavy price tag. And to think that Anonymity can be priceless is bizarre but this is a fact - the true worth of the word itself may not only be revered by the Obama’s, the Sachin’s, the Witherspoon’s and Beyonce’s but many more who silently crave it.

The Maturity Debate

2010-10-31T04:19:00.000-07:00

An old story goes of two friends, one a focused and methodical individual, the other a happy go lucky, creative being. A discussion once ensued pertaining to the word maturity where the former propagated an authoritative view - believing firmly that it revolved around age – even immodestly proclaiming himself as an assured matured being. The latter differing, interpreting the word maturity as subjective, owing to one’s opinion and behaviour. The story goes that one fine day a debate transpired between the two resulting in the former losing his bearings showering expletives and even making an obscene gesture to the latter friend in question. The self professed authority on maturity seemed a sad picture of immaturity. Meanwhile, the friend on the receiving end playing it calmly with a wry smile making his point clear.

The word Maturity is often used in our day to day conversation without really understanding its true meaning. Physical appearance and age often appears the yardstick in labelling maturity - the reason being years and experience begets wisdom and insight but it is not often true. There is lack of emotional maturity in many human beings and this is different from physical maturity. Take Wayne Rooney for example, the immensely talented football player has been recently reprimanded for his misconduct with his teammates and personal life. His immaturity has prompted the English Media to ask Rooney to look upto cricketer Sachin Tendulkar as a role model. Tendulkar has balanced career and personal life with solid maturity, both physical and emotional in his 21 year career facing immeasurable pressure and shouldering expectations from the millions in India.

Putting Maturity under the microscope, it boils down to composure and understanding. It is about patience and perseverance. It is being responsible and accountable for one’s own actions. It is about controlling one’s anger in spite of the circumstances that lead you to it. It hinges on a person’s resolve, steadfastness and self denial and ultimately is about balancing the physical, spiritual and emotional self.

As a civilization, we still have a long way to go on the maturity front. Our actions through wars, global warming, racism, terrorism, slavery or even our daily squabbles etc is testimony to our inability in understanding the subject. And it may take a few more centuries to understand our-selves and our actions with objectivity.

In conclusion the old AA prayer comes to mind when one thinks about the subject - Maturity is the art of living in peace with that which we cannot change, the courage to change that which should be changed -- and the wisdom to know the difference.

The Paradoxical Churchill

2010-07-19T03:49:00.000-07:00

Sir Winston Churchill personified a myriad of ironies and arguably was one of the most complex individuals to walk the planet - known to some as bumptious, ruthless, racist and egotistic, he was nevertheless a great leader, visionary and often labeled the greatest British Statesman of the twentieth century. His inborn ability to inspire people coupled with his relentless passion and his unflustered personality made him a unique character and a darling of the press. He was an avid reader, a scholar, journalist, painter and war correspondent blessed with the gift of the gab and a razor sharp mind.

Call it snobbery, vanity or pure self-belief, his statement “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it” though flavoured with pompousness carried it with it a sense of belief to all who admired the imagination, courage and tenacity of the man.

His witty charm and his impromptu responses were a journalist’ delight. He rarely buckled till he had his feisty last say from his sarcastic adversaries. Like the time when he was leaving the House of Commons in a wobbly manner, the Labour MP Bessie Braddock accused him of being “disgustingly drunk.” He replied: “Bessie, my dear…you are disgustingly ugly. But tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be disgustingly ugly.” Or the time when the great George Bernard Shaw telegrammed Churchill just prior to the opening of Major Barbara: "Have reserved two tickets for first night. Come and bring a friend if you have one." The response was immediate Churchill wired back, "Impossible to come to first night. Will come to second night, if you have one."

Churchill’s antipathy towards Gandhi was well known, his ‘half-naked faqir’ statement in a way displayed his feelings towards the man whom he considered the biggest obstacle of the British rule in India. It was Gandhi’s death that eventually made him realize the greatness of the man.

The paradox of Churchill was underlined beautifully by his friend Lady Lytton, she remarked ‘you see all his faults and the rest of your life you spend in discovering his virtues’.

Churchill’s grasp of the language and his rhetorical grandeur was summarized beautifully by John F Kennedy ‘In the dark days and darker nights when England stood alone--and most men save Englishmen despaired of England's life--he mobilized the English language and sent it into battle."

Sir Winston Churchill made no bones about the person he was - when asked he was ready for death, he summed it in jest "I am prepared to meet my maker. Whether my maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter."

Value of Self Respect

2010-06-01T02:21:00.000-07:00

Clint Eastwood, the celebrated Hollywood actor and director put it skilfully when he said ‘Respect your efforts and respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power’.

Regrettably, in the world we live today not many understand this real power lies solely within ourselves. Inside each human being is another person who cherishes being loved, respected and valued. When this does not happen, the person within is miserable triggering a widening of the gap between mind, body and spirit, the prime cause for unhappiness, misery and despair. An obese person looking at him or herself in the mirror and feeling dejected is a prime example – this person however should never be discouraged thinking it’s curtains. The challenge and beauty of life lies in turning that negativity into a positive sentiment which starts with self respect from within. It is therefore imperative to love yourself from the inside. It starts with the basics like knowing and distinguishing right from wrong and practicing the right values and discipline. Self respect should not be confused with Self ego, the former is more about your honour and dignity of oneself whilst the latter is a desire inclined to exert power or authority on others, a selfish motive.

The foundation and building of self respect should unquestionably be sowed at home, the real base. Children should be fed with positive everything. Children are like sponge and their senses innocently absorb everything in their surroundings. Very often you hear parents complaining where did they go wrong seeing their kids turn the wrong way. In majority of cases, the blame lies with these parents who by then are in self denial mode in regard to the radiation of self and mutual respect factor. It is no secret negative surroundings affect human beings, especially children. A positive environment nurtures and encourages self respect which in turn not only guides morals within a child but guides manners outside too.

Over the years, one has been witness to seeing many people belonging to the DISR club (Deficit in Self Respect). They unknowingly or knowingly are members here. The reasons border on low self esteem, insecurity, job worries or just lack of confidence. Meanwhile, one has also been witness to certain people overdoing the respect over their superiors (in some cases they could be spouses too) in the process, having forgotten to respect themselves. On the other hand, there are superiors who undermine or are very demeaning in their disposition towards the subordinates clearly showcasing their deficiencies as a human being. And this happens no matter how educated or how much money they have. We often forget we are species with thinking brains and not animals, even certain animals have the respect code ethics sorted out.

Self respect is indeed the cornerstone of all virtue. People love and respect other people who respect themselves, the moment you don’t you become a doormat. It doesn’t matter in what relationship you are, never ever grow into a punching bag. Respect begets respect !. The forthright politician Koch put it well ‘you punch, I punch’. Even the noble Gandhi punched back in his own non violent way. And there could be no better example and genuine model of true self respect than Mahatma Gandhi! Touche’ !

Woman - Take a bow !

2010-05-25T01:39:00.000-07:00

A true manifestation of creation. Life on the planet is born of her. She is the full circle encircling a cyclic connect with the earth, the moon, and the tides. She is wholeness. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.

She has defended society from destructive thoughts and from ideo-logical and moral deterioration. She has pieced together sanctuaries and refuge for all people – the world over communities, neighbourhood and families are empowered by her. She is affection and compassion -– she is sunshine and radiant power. Her interests and duties fan out in all directions from the central mother-core, like spokes from the hub of a cycle. She is firm and sensitive akin to a resilient spiders web to the breeze that blows. She has the power to protect and the power to destroy.

She leads by means of reconciliation, interrelations and persuasion. She is courtesy, manners and grace. She is resilience in the midst of a blazing storm - she is composure and patience personified. She has the insight for solutions when all is lost. Her intuitive abilities have known to influence her decision to pick right from wrong. She is persistence. She is logic. She represents manifestation through creative vision and pure intention.

Very often pulled and swayed by the ebb and ﬂow of the oceans, by the rise of the sap in springtime she has evolved since the time of Eve, learning to fight out her battle in a male bastion - the world, and take a stand that matters. Since time immemorial she has been immersed in the busyness of human ‘doing’ rather than human ‘being,’ - many times overlooking the depths of who she really is in essence.

She keeps the dream of life alive and encourages to continue weaving dreams, even in times of turmoil and unknowing. All teachings come from her - every great mind has vouched her influence in their lives. History is a testimony to her unflinching power where empires have changed hands, fortunes have been won and lost. She has altered the course of history by her sheer determination and presence, making a mattering difference in peoples lives. – her symbol of individuality is seen from Cleopatra to Joan of Arc, from Helen of Troy to Princess Diana from Emelia Lockhardt to Indira Gandhi, from Mother Theresa to Indra Nooyi and the list grows.

The cornerstone of a family and the pillar of a home, she is an embodiment of strength and humility - an epitome of understanding and patience. Always an educator – she is the eternal source of comfort, tenderness, peace, and unconditional love.

Yes ! She is a mother, daughter, sister and wife. –- She is Woman, a miracle – a marvel that forever will hold the power to influence and change the world.

Marriage Musings

2010-01-09T23:48:00.000-08:00

"Marriages today seem a big farce unlike the past and I am petrified of committing myself to an institution that sans substance". These words uttered in sincerity by my sibling started an intense debate between the two of us. Harping on the good old proverb that it takes two to tango, I drew the analogy that "Marriage is like a fixed account it depends on how much you put to create interest and that interest is the momentum for a happy and successful marriage". He disagreed saying one has to just look at the increasing divorce statistics in the world today.

His disagreement reminded me of this woman friend who once opined "It's like watching this movie which you assume is a feel good movie but as you watch it - at every stage there is isolation, loneliness, squabbles, fractured promises and expectations and ultimately divorce - only devastation. On viewing this I ask myself, Why would I want to begin that journey? "

She and my sibling might have many who endorse their viewpoint but no matter what they concur, the truth is there is joy and content in a lifelong relationship. It is no secret that the journey is filled with thorns strewn, sometimes even land mines but there are more flower petals if the desire is there on both sides to work towards finding it en route.

Marriage is a journey on high seas for which no compass has been invented and this mysterious challenge of finding the direction is what makes it interesting. Undoubtedly, man and woman today have evolved in their thinking, times have changed – a huge paradigm shift has occurred – a social revolution in thinking due to the media exposure and education. So it is only natural both man and woman have begun questioning the old norms and tradition in everything – marriage it seems is the list topper.

Having said that, the core essence of a happy marriage still revolves around adapting, understanding, sacrifice and patience. High expectations on both sides has lead to many a failure in marriages leading to separation and divorces. And let no one be fooled, this can happen even after a quarter of a century together. Marriage is constant work in progress and not a celebratory event.

My final sign off to the debate with my sibling was "Marriage is not the 'be all end all' solution but it is the only pathway to family relationships and this in turn is a key to happiness much more than all the material wealth one can acquire. I added "It is the only certified UNION where both sides are equally MANAGEMENT". Unfortunately, in these times we live in it is not and herein lies the problem.

The Grass is not always Green

2009-10-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

A trip to North America is always stimulating to the mind, one can't help but admire the continent's big economic strides, infrastructure, meticulous systems etc – the great mix of immigrants tops it all – immigrants who come to this land with dreams and hopes of a better quality of life – some who realize it, some who sadly do not.

It is often said that the pulse of the real immigrant's life is found on the streets amongst the ordinary working class who in essence make the great economy matter. Incidentally, I was fortunate to bump into three people to get a first hand glimpse and insight of the immigrant life they came for – a life they envisaged.

The first a taxi-driver a broad shouldered Algerian, a bachelor working in Montreal for the past ten years. Initially a bit grim, but after a little chitchat opening up - confessing he came to Montreal in search of success and money but is now pondering his decision. He then revealed he was more content with the little food on his table and a smiling family around in his home country than a bill laden hectic commercial life he's leading now, he says he misses the human warmth found in his home country. He plans to go back in a year or two marry and settle down – probably to find his happiness that is eluding him.

The second, a waitress - a hard working middle class Indian lady, a mother of three in her late thirties - her spouse, an engineer working in the local company in Buffalo, New York. She seemed searching for questions about the life she was living. She is still to come in terms with the years gone by, she had been working 12-14 hours a day for the past five years just realizing the children had grown up – she hadn’t spent much time with them and somehow she felt they have drifted apart ! she questions - Is this what she came here for ?. Money is no issue, the family vacation every year is there, but there is something amiss and she has no answers !

The third, a 50 plus loquacious Philipino lady who single handedly runs the small pub cum store at the Pearson airport in Toronto. She talks extempore about how the recession has done severe damage to her colleagues, she being the lucky surviving one. She moans that her whole salary goes on her insurance and her bills - she is stressed and in constant fear of losing her job. She confesses "I don't want to sound like a whiner but let me tell you that the grass is not always green as it seems"

She like the other two struck a deep chord with me even though I felt one should not come to conclusions, as there are many happy and contented immigrants in this beautiful continent.

So as the aircraft took off and soared into the clouds into the dark skies, I gazed out of my window and looked below into the dimly lit houses which were now picturesque illuminated dots, I couldn’t help but wonder there maybe many out there hitting their pillow that night - maybe doing an introspection of decisions made – telling themselves, maybe the grass is (or it was) greener back home !

Brand Significance in Tough Times

2009-09-17T01:42:00.000-07:00

The significance of Branding and Communication in these tough economic times seem to have been understood by very few organizations. The others tend to look at it more as a dispensable expense rather than an astute investment. This can be attributed to the fact that many decision makers consider Branding and Communication per se as least important in the overall business mix, the reason being it does not manifest in tangible results. To them image and reputation (goodwill) is very important but investing money into enhancing it, is just not.

Another ignored fact in many organizations, branding or marketing strategy is rarely in synergy with the organizational strategy. The brand strategy is evidently absent or far too often only paid lip service. Very rarely there are those who have clear cut goals on the brand's position whilst the majority continue sailing in the complex waters without a brand compass or a clue of the brands direction, herein underlying the big problem.

Companies also have failed to periodically refresh the brand essence and culture into the psyche of their employees. Many times the company ideals, character behaviour and goals are launched with great fanfare at a branding or re-branding initiative but then conveniently forgotten after the hue and cry. Sometime back a survey was conducted amongst 700 business professionals across the U.S: and the results spoke for themselves – over 90% employees did not understand how to effectively represent their company's brand – over 75% did not support their company's branding initiatives – over 50% did not know what a brand means. If this could happen there imagine the impact here – undoubtedly the US has historically been a good reference point.

It is no secret that besides the below rung employees even top executives of organizations in the region are oblivious of the brand personality and characteristics of their respective organizations. Sometime back a brand audit was done for a reputed firm here in bahrain and one of the questions asked to the 7 topmost management executives were 'If your firm was a car what would it be', there were 7 different car answers which only goes to show that many are clueless and the brand is interpreted to one's own liking and interpretation – a cardinal sin. In-fact one of the seven interviewed personnel, a lawyer from the west had really no clue of branding, his answers were ludicrous, he seemed completely at sea with the questions.

Very often fanciful and hard bound brand manuals are looked upon as the 'end all' solution which again is a big failing, if people do not understand the sheer brand basics - these manuals are ineffectual, they will continue remaining decorative pieces gathering dust on the shelves as they are filled with information that no one refers to, the only beneficiaries being the so called fat brand consultancies who make the big money in printing them.

It is time the man at the helm wakes up-to the reality and understands a cost effective branding and communication strategy will generate good ROI (return on investment) if done judiciously with a little patience. In-fact these tough times need just that to safeguard and reinforce your brand position for a challenging today and a happy tomorrow.

A Poetry For Mum - OH ! WHAT A WOMAN

2009-09-07T00:46:00.000-07:00

"God couldn't be here for us so he gave us Mothers". So true !
This is for you Mum even though I know deep down that words cannot do justice for all that you have done !

OH ! WHAT A WOMAN !

Oh ! What a Woman, What A Woman I Say
Tis, A woman of substance - a lady who taught me to pray
A woman who taught me to read and write.
Tis, the anxious woman looking over, when I first got my sight.

A woman no product of a college of fame
A woman who’d put those so called scholarly to shame.
A woman who instilled in me what was right from wrong.
A woman who’d recite those stories at night which never seemed long.

A woman who never wilted under times of distress.
A woman who believed god was there and he would address.
A woman who'd shoulder your sorrows when you were down.
A woman who’d also show you the way when you acted like a clown.

A woman who'd cook that sumptuous and finger licking food Tis the woman, simple, intelligent, beautiful and always in a joyful mood.
A woman an ideal wife every man would dream of.
A woman who’s husband knew that but would coyly scoff.

Tis is the woman I respect admire, love and adore Tis is the woman, Thank you dear lord, I couldn’t ask for more. Thank you dear woman, for the perfect mother you’ve been.
I know without you woman life for me would reflect a different scene.

Ever grateful Mum…Thank you !

The Pangs of Loneliness

2009-08-26T06:05:00.000-07:00

As the story goes, a master sitting on the mountaintop in France summons his disciple. "I am famished after all this meditation. I desire some chicken and rice from the best restaurant in the city." The disciple descends on the city by local transport and is shocked to find the master waiting in line in front of him. The master says, "I felt lonely after you left." The disciple is speechless.

The story is ironic in the sense that the master is always looked upon as a model who has attained his bliss, his nirvana. But eventually as a human being, he too feels the pangs of loneliness.

Loneliness is a knotty word, complex to comprehend. We all are lonely at some point in our lives. Whether it is the housewife, the bachelor, the businessman or the celebrity – the word undeniably carries with it the dark cloud of seclusion. Loneliness is personified when the mind body and spirit experiences a kind of emptiness that at times is difficult to comprehend. Oddly, it remains the prison where the key to the lock is from the inside and the person inside has it.

So the questions to be asked is loneliness the absence of having friends, family, entertainment etc? Is loneliness a deep inner feeling that one experiences through absence of love and warmth?. Some argue that Solitude and Loneliness are two sides of the same coin – the former being enjoyable isolation found at times through meditation, a desired activity, spirituality, religion or simply for creative purposes. Loneliness on the other hand symbolizes a hollow realm which may include the aforesaid factors but in a cheerless environment.

It is a true fact that many marriages encounter loneliness - attributed to either partner not empathizing or respecting the needs of the other e.g. a husband who is so immersed in his work raking in the moolah and bringing all the material needs but oblivious to the needs of the human being (wife) on the other spectrum who is looking for that love, gratitude, and understanding. Absence of these factors often leads to loneliness in relationships leading to constant bickering, extra marital affairs and eventually divorce.

Recently a close friend and a mother of four confessed that she has everything she needs, a beautiful family, comforts and a high standard of living but deep down she felt a void difficult to fill in. Then she blurted "I am sick and my sickness is loneliness". It seemed obvious that she felt that she was being taken for granted and there was no love and appreciation for the work she did. It was Mother Theresa who said "Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty". Mother remained true to her calling in being that shining light to the lonely and downtrodden.

The cure for loneliness lies in doing an introspection of oneself, we should be truthful to ourselves and share our problems with the ones we love - define our likes – switch off the denial mode button (whether current or past), embrace life in its wholesome, believe in the higher power no matter what religion we follow, embrace a body and mind activity, learn to give more than you receive and fill the mind with happy, positive thoughts. Loneliness will be lost in that crowd.

Beast in the City

2009-08-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there lived a Hyena in a very dense jungle. Hyenas are known to be brutal scavengers, ruthless beasts who savagely devour their prey with sadistic pleasure. They usually attack in packs and are one of the worst predators ever known to man. However this hyena was a different animal who was not happy with the way he was living and wanted to do something. He seemed disturbed.

It was all put to rest, when he saved a passerby from his fellow Hyenas – a passerby lost in the deep forest. The passerby was a hermit who was taken aback with the Hyena's kind behavior. He decided to grant the animal a boon. He asked the Hyena to wish for anything and it would be granted. The Hyena was thrilled, he asked if he could become a human being. The wise hermit replied in the affirmative. He however put forth a condition that the Hyena would first have to learn the ways and mannerisms of the human being before turning into one. And in order to do that - the first three days the hyena would have to be transformed into a fly observing the characteristics of a human being and then return, indicating he was ready to be a human. The Hyena agreed and was immediately turned into a fly.

The fly flew into a Kingdom (a country) which was progressive and modern in its ways with a rich heritage, great culture and moral values. Respect for one another was of utmost importance and written in gold letters on the gates of the kingdom so that everyone residing and those entering would read and follow. The Fly was very excited - thinking this surely is the place he was looking for, he immediately got to work , excited to learn the ways of the human being. He selected a upper middle class family who seemed self sufficient, cultured and educated. The household chores were being run by a maid servant.

He started off by perching himself in the window corner of the kitchen to learn his first lesson. To his horror, he heard a loud thud and saw the first lady of the house kicking the maid to the ground, then hitting her with a saucepan, stamping upon her, poking her in the eye with a key. The screaming maid was then pulled across the length of the room by her ears and by her hair. Later given leftovers to eat. The poor maid was in a very bad shape, bruised and beaten up with no rescuer in sight. She was helpless and feeble. The Fly was dumbfounded and seemed very eager to help but realized it was fruitless, he was a fly after all, not a hyena anymore.

He immediately decided to cut short his three day stay and flew back to the forest. He went straight to the hermit who was in his hermitage. The wise man was expecting him and smiled, asking him what happened. The Fly was at loss of words. He narrated the story looking shell shocked. The hermit laughed writing it as a one off incident and told him to try a new house. The Fly flatly refused saying "Enough ! I don't believe there is any real difference between them humans and us Hyenas. These humans are worst, at-least we treat our own species well" He continued, "The almighty has blessed these humans with everything but they are more akin to the ways of the jungle, uncouth and uncultured. I am happy being a beast in the jungle. Thank you very much". He returned to join his pack as a Hyena whilst the ruthless first lady (now a household name in the Kingdom) was set free to continue her beastly ways !

Planet of Happiness

2009-07-30T03:22:00.000-07:00

The New Economics Foundation latest Happy Planet Index has just been released and the Latin American and Caribbean countries have come out top. It should be noted that the Happy Planet Index is not a measure of identifying the happiest country in the world. In reality it is more a measure of charting out the true balance between "Life Expectancy" and the "ecological footprint". In other words, living a prolonged life within the means available - with a firm focus on environmental stability.

You will never find the G8 in the top 10 considering the high levels of carbon emissions and industrialization. It is therefore heartening to see small countries like Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Colombo, Jamaica etc, all in the top 10 with the US being placed 114. The ratings are being debated (rightly so) since it does not measure true happiness – it assesses a nation's skill in using its resources whilst keeping the citizens happy. Regardless of the debates, the word 'happy' conjures an image of gratification and ease.

It goes to prove that contentment and satisfaction can be achieved with the least amount of resources. These countries are certainly not rich in the material sense but many agree that these folks grasp the formula of 'how to have a good time in the worst of situations'. Some of the reasons could be a strong camaraderie between their people (looking over their neighbors), strong family ties, a deep sense of spirituality and a tough inherent resilience having been through many economic and social crisis. As for Costa Rica the numero uno on the list, it focuses on high level of social expenditures and environmental protection - in the process influencing the 'happiness aura' amongst its people. Which can be interpreted as 'We are all in it together and it is imperative to keep our home, our country in order'.

A story comes to mind of a Costa Rican who after a tough days work was sitting on the beach enjoying a drink with his friends laughing and joking. He was met by a passing tourist – a millionaire financial businessman vacationing - a Stanford alumni. The man joined the group and after a few drinks put forward his view that they could all be millionaire's if they wanted. He was asked by the young man how could it be ? He said that he should get a MBA degree. 'Then what' he was asked, the man responded 'Take a loan from the bank and start a fishing trawler business, there seems great potential in the region. 'Then what' he was asked, he replied, with the money made they could then invest it in real estate, stocks, bonds etc getting very high returns. 'Then what' he was finally asked, he replied they would all be rich probably sitting here relaxed and happy !

He was then asked by the man what made him think they were not happy – in-fact they were sitting in the right spot he indicated. The man for the first time in his life felt very foolish and bankrupt. With all the knowledge and money he had, the void and yearning he craved for did not matter to these men who were content and satisfied. He left thanking them for their hospitality and friendship. Walking down that day to his hotel, he felt he wouldn't mind trading all his riches for what those young men had. Peace of mind !

Tough Times Never Last Tough People Do

2009-07-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

I was recently disturbed by an article in which a young student from the Far East, attempted suicide for failing his final engineering exams. I wondered what went through the young man’s mind necessitating this drastic step. I assumed it was the obvious fear of rejection, the societal pressure, fear of being ridiculed, fear of letting down the family, other negative happenings in his life, the low self esteem boiling in the background or just assuming he had come to a dead end in the future on the professional front. The good news is he was saved by the doctors.

His decision to end his life made me pick up the pen and write this piece as his so called hardships seemed miniscule in comparison to the people who have experienced a flood of miseries - coming out a winner. The list is long but I have chosen three gentlemen below. They were ordinary people like you and me. They certainly had no godfathers or rich parents guiding them. They were within their rights to throw in the towel (as most of us do) and say ‘I give up’ but they didn’t and today we ogle in amazement at their success. These people were shunned, turned down, laughed at, kicked out, yet they emerged winners.

He was a failure in college. His teachers unanimously agreed he was a slow developer, incapable and averse to learning. Leo Tolstoy went on to shock the literary world with classics such as ‘War and Peace’ and “Anna Karenina”.

His classmates taunted him, he was considered a dud in school. In high school, he was known as the boy with a 8mm camera. He dropped out only to be persuaded to return to studies by his parents, he was mistakenly placed in a learning disability class. Ten years later at the age of 28, this young man directed a movie that took in 478 million dollars. The man Steven Spielberg, the movie Jaws.

He got a grade ‘C’ for his paper on starting a company that would ship items from one place to another. He was told “It would never work’ by his professor who scorned him. Frederick Smith rejected the rejection to turn Fedex into a billion dollar empire and a brand that is looked up as an iconic case study in business colleges.

The ingredients in their recipe of success seemed clear, their astounding self-belief, an unwavering passion, a die-hard determination and a super-ordinate goal. They could have taken the suicide road, given up and gone into the comfort zone, but they stuck it out. The ‘negative feedback and failure’ was hardly paid attention to, there was an inherent self motivated zest and a fired up zeal of making a colossal difference, tremendously benefiting their respective fields of literature, arts and business.

One could argue ‘they were blessed with enormous talent and luck’ which is an age old argument that does not hold good at all, we all are equally blessed but how often do we nurture the talent we have, how often do we accept the failures along the way and go the distance of turning it into a huge success. There is undoubtedly a kind of self-fulfilling accomplishment when one goes through life’s hurricanes coming out triumphant. If only the young man who attempted suicide could understand this fact. It was Rosalind Russell who said “Flops are part of life’s menu and I never missed any of the courses”

So whether you are without a job or trying for one, whether your business is at the crossroads, whether you have lost money, whether you are in a failed relationship, whether you are simply depressed about things not going your way, don’t give up - your time could be anytime now. Robert Schuller put it very beautifully in his bestseller of all times “Tough Times never last, Tough people do”.

Heartbreak – A Lover's Anguish

2009-07-08T05:47:00.000-07:00

"She meant the world to me. I loved her with all my heart – just yesterday she walked up-to me telling me she is seeing someone - a thousand arrows pierced my heart, my world has been shattered" these were words by my distraught young Bahraini colleague looking every bit the unkempt resident of heartbreak hotel. The disturbed young man later even broke down un-consolingly. My heart went out to him and I mustered every bit of knowledge on the subject, in the fervent hope of uplifting his spirits – empathizing every bit with the torment he was going through. The devastation by mischievous cupid had undoubtedly affected his work and his life.

Love (of this kind) is certainly complex, for ages its mysterious abyss has flummoxed even the wisest. The bond between lovers is ever powerful and the breaking of this bond at a moment's notice can be an even more potent experience. It is like an unseen tsunami drowning all the future dreams and aspirations shared, affecting the brain and the body - leading to loss of interest, loneliness, nausea, insomnia, mood swings, loss of appetite, guilt, alcohol/drug abuse – depression and even suicide. Dr David Buss Ph.D. the author of The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating says that heartbreak of this kind is the one of the most stressful events in life a person undergoes exceeded in psychological pain only by horrific events, such as the loss of a child."

It is often debated that the female species go through heartbreaks more often than men for reasons we all can self interpret. However, there is a school that (through research) believes rejected men are more likely to kill themselves at three to four times the rate than spurned women do.

Having said that, there is no off the shelf solution in heartbreak cases. Time and patience is the only healer but people who come out of a heartbreak become much stronger, resilient, very aware and alert.

Coming to my friend and donning the hat of a self appointed Agony Uncle, my immediate advice to the young man was to get rid of everything that reminded him of her including the gifts she gave him, work hard at developing a new and fresh mindset, re-invent himself in the eyes of the world i.e. personal appearance, attitude, behavior etc, develop a hobby - play a sport, make new friends, read, travel and above all have an unstinting focus on his career because that will ultimately beget success bringing huge rewards. I concluded by telling him if he does this right, girls and even his lady love will be at his door and he could then pay her back in a manner he wants. He smiled. That was very heartening to me, considering the state he was in.

Elvis Presley gave us a beautiful rendition of the song Heartbreak Hotel written mainly by a steel guitar player named Tommy Durden. Tommy was inspired by a man who killed himself of a heartbreak leaving behind a note saying "I walk a lonely street". There are many like this man who do take the easy way out. I have no doubt that my young friend identifies himself on the lonely street and the ensuing trauma and pain from the pangs of love – he however does seem sensible enough not to take the easy route of suicide. I am positive he will soon find his street of happiness and joy.

The paroxysm's of a lover's anguish in a heartbreak is always very difficult to comprehend. But it is no secret that ultimately the soothing balm to the bruised mind and heart lies with them.

Brightest Stars Burn Shortest

2009-06-29T02:45:00.001-07:00

As the old saying goes 'the star that burns the brightest usually burns the shortest' - the recent demise of the undisputable King of Pop Michael Jackson is a sad testimony to this fact. The Jackson show in London was to re- create the magic that everyone anticipated with bated breath but it never was to be. In-fact my brother had bought the tickets for his London show and we were discussing the phenomenon called Michael Jackson who impacted our growing up 'moon walk' days. Michael Jackson will always be that shining star that illuminated our lives but like many musical genius' faded away too early.

The past decades have robbed the world of some great talent at a very young age – talent that inspired generations to dizzying heights – heavenly musical talent that was transitory in a world thirsty for originality and idols to look upto. Musical Icons like Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Freddie Mercury, Sid Vicious were all young but left a void – a legacy, that like Jackson can never ever be filled. We can all debate of who is responsible for Jackson's and the aforementioned icons death but the fact lies that they all were done in by their very own doing.

There is an excellent quote in the movie Spiderman 2 which goes "With great power comes great responsibility. This is my gift, my curse." Responsibility is not a one-time act, it is continuous especially when you are a revered superstar - maybe not really comprehended by these icons. Genius is a gift from god, so one begs the query, why do some of these brilliant performers transform it into a curse ? Is it due to their mental inability to carry the heavy baggage that comes with it. Is it the power that comes with fame and money? Is it the load of people's expectations? Is it the uncontrolled eccentricity synonymous with these creative genius'. Is it the insecurity to deliver ? Why self destruction ? The trend has been the same if one looks back over the years.

Undoubtedly, the success peak is subject to constant scrutiny by all and sundry especially the hungry money making sharks – meanwhile as a creative person these genius' are constantly striving to set higher standards looking to go above the norm in order to exceed people's expectations. Whilst this is going on, their self imposed god like power pedestal influences them to achieve their nirvana by self damaging means 'i.e. the usage and over-usage of drugs and alcohol – their sense of escapism', thereby cutting short their lives.

Currently another exceptional music talent in Amy Winehouse (another drug and alcohol abuse victim) is heading that way. Her helpless father has virtually given up on her and her tantrums. In the interim her rehab programs continue to fill tabloids the world over. Hopefully she will wake up and learn from the mistakes of these icons, - only time will tell?

In the meantime all we can say is no matter what controversies these short-lived icons including Michael Jackson were involved in, we are indebted to them, we can satisfyingly say 'Thank you for your short stay. Thank you very much for the music'.

The Eternal Query

2009-05-31T00:25:00.000-07:00

What is the purpose of our life? Why are we here? Where do we go? Questions so simple yet so unanswerable, so interesting, yet so intriguing. Religious parameters aside, one can’t help raising a hat to the thinkers, the philosophers both modern and from yesteryears, who utilized their ingenuity to sell their logic which at times seem debatable – solutions for a segment of people who look up to them as a sense of escapism from life’s day to day problems.

Undoubtedly, these have been questions deeply embedded in the human psyche’ the world over. As human beings some of us have the unstoppable inclination to go beyond the expected and look for answers so as to satisfy our curiosity. When I was a lad of 15 my mother would respond: “We were mere flowers in this vast garden where the blooming was a part of our gratefulness of our maker... in this case the gardener”. Her answer… thought satisfactory, left a young lad somewhat unsatisfied.In college, I encountered friends coming from two schools of thought the fascinated ones and the somewhat frightened ones. The latter would rather not dwell on the subject avoiding it with tact saying that: ‘life is an ice cream, just lick it before it melts’.

The purpose of human life and human events has defied a definition that is universally acceptable. From the great philosophers Socrates to Plato to Russell the answers are many, - a bustling crop of ‘isms’ and ‘ologies’ from which an individual can do no more than choose a creed for himself.

Of course it is no secret that modern philosophers are raking in the moolah by astutely marketing themselves to the rich and the famous. A case study which would have Kotler twitching his eyebrows, but then again he would agree that those whose minds are malleable seem large enough to make the big buck.

It has often been said that man’s eternal curiosity will bring his eternal downfall. If this be true perhaps it is fortunate for the world that for every thinker there are thousands who never exercise their minds beyond the mere tangible preliminaries necessary to live from one day to the next. Having said that with most of us thinking is far more trouble which is why most of us never rise above the levels of mediocrity.

To a caveman the wonders of the internet would have been wildly impossible which they no longer are. An earlier century physician would have pronounced it madness if he were told that a pacemaker could be fitted into the human body. Is life an eternal question or not, in my opinion it is not. With every second, tangibles become intangibles more impossible are becoming possible. I believe the mind of man is as limitless as time itself. There are mysteries waiting to be solved and I have no doubt that in due course we are going to see some astounding inventions that is if the human race survives. My father’s words seem apt to draw a parallel to man’s intellect, he used to say ‘There are no fences when you graze on the pastures of knowledge’. The pace and the giant strides in technology, at which the world is moving makes the old man’s words so true.

As for me, I tend to agree with the master who said “Of what use is to comprehend life’s meaning if you tasted it? I’d rather you’d ate your pudding than speculated on”. I believe in eating it.

Speaking for themselves

2009-05-29T02:41:00.000-07:00

They are the leaders of tomorrow, the influencers of generations to come hence it is always a pleasure to see blossoming young children take the stage with lively conviction, showcasing their tact in the art of public speaking. I was fortunate to be the judge at the recent inter-school poetry and speech contest organized by the APG school titled "ECHOES". I must admit my otherwise rusty mind was enriched with some great literary wisdom and I left the place a little richer in terms of knowledge and loads of energy that seemed a welcome shot of rejuvenation for a tired body and mind.

The efforts of the administration at APG school should be applauded – the maiden contest was a result of weeks of intense back and forth interaction (I am told) between APG and the participant schools . The intense painstaking efforts of the organizing committee at APG school certainly bore the desired results – the talent on display was a revelation of sorts, the eventual champions being young local Bahraini talent voted from a group of both locals and expatriate children studying in schools spread across Bahrain goes to show the great potential existing in the country - it certainly augurs well for the future of Bahrain.

Works of great poets such as Frost, Wordsworth, Longfellow etc and speeches from famous personalities like Chaplin, Vivekananda, Rowling etc were performed by heart with such poise, tact, tone and confidence that it would surely have made the czars of the oratory world take a bow. There were no butterflies in these kids stomach, the butterflies (one would add) were fluttering around invisibly, radiating the environment with positive energy that was awe-inspiring.

Public speaking is part art, part science. It is by far one of the most important weapons an individual can have in his armoury to face the challenges and rigors of life. Through this medium, one not only builds confidence, character and charm but becomes a self assured individual who has the power to compel, influence and persuade. I still remember the push I received from my father (god bless his soul) at a tender age towards this form and that little coaxing has gone a long way in helping me in my career and life. I will rue the fact that I never got a chance to thank him for the encouragement.

Whilst parents should take the initiative to encourage and motivate, educational institutions should continue to play an important role in encouraging children to speak in front of an audience. Hats off to APG school for such a wonderful job. I do hope they make this a yearly if not bi-yearly contest. It should be noted, in these contests there are no winners and no losers, everyone wins.

In conclusion, I do believe every child is an unpolished diamond and public speaking is one of the many polishing solutions - very valuable, in making them shine in an uncertain, challenging and complex world.

A Philosophical Musing....

2009-04-20T02:16:00.000-07:00

The rigours of life often hampers our truth seeking efforts - the search and meaning of our existence. In this context, it is important at times to connect with ourselves for that elusive transitory contentment. There have been some brilliant poets of the past era who have taken this inner reflection into realms beyond- manifesting it through poetry in various languages. One such poetry rendered through a song in an old hindi movie inspired me to write this piece giving it my take in English - hopefully in the process paying tribute to the genius of the poet and all those poets who were the unceasing seekers of the truth.

The poetry I am referring to talks about the two faced world we live in, the broken promises, the meaningless relationships etc. The context and substance of the poetry can always be debated but there can no denial of the sense of truth in its illustration. It goes like this.

Promises, love and assurances – just words empty and hollow No one in this world belongs to anyone - these relationships (we live) are ephemeral, a fact hard to swallow. Life's journey continues to be no guarantee neither are our close associations - our own kith and kin may turn against us - sad truth about man and creation
We live in lies, behind the beautiful façade of words – putting on false shows. Revering holy creeds but forgetting our neighbour's anguish and blows. The true essence of our religion is forgotten, interpreting it to our own whim and taste. So full of ourselves, that even the messiah today would be conveniently ignored – life lived in such haste.
As for people, they will continue to be selfish and insincere, happy with us in our good times and discarding us in our pain - promising us the world today and breaking it the next second, with disdain. Yes ! they do it every day to the almighty – to the absolute, so who are you oh mortal man to complain !
Promises, love and assurances – just words empty and hollow. No one belongs to anyone these relationships (we live) are ephemeral, a fact hard to swallow.

Music, the true life force

2009-04-14T00:59:00.000-07:00

Reminiscing an old folktale from Ireland – there was a young prince named Maon who had to relinquish the throne owing to the evil designs of his malevolent granduncle who had executed his father and grandfather. The young Prince had to flee the kingdom, in the process losing his sense of speech. Some years later he happened to fall in love with the beautiful Princess of Ulster who in order to bring him back wrote a love song and sent her father’s harper to compose music for it. The music the talented harper composed was so soul stirring that the handsome prince immediately regained his lost voice and returned with a new found vigour to conquer his kingdom and win his bride. A wonderful testimony to the healing power of music .

Beethoven had once said “Music is the wine which inspires one to new generative processes”. Without doubt, the therapeutic benefits of music has been acknowledged since ancient times – the Greeks and the Egyptians often reflected on the healing powers of music with Pythagoras devising the rules of harmonics and using it as a source for a school of philosophy and medicine.

Just recently the highly reputed Cochrane Systematic Review found that listening to music could decrease blood pressure (BP), heart rate, and levels of anxiety in heart patients. Music eases severe stress and anxiety in patients who are undergoing treatment for coronary heart disease (CHD). I recently had the privilege of meeting a doctor who practices music therapy at a reputed hospital here in Bahrain. He affirms the calming and soothing influence the therapy has on his patients and gave me a sweet dose of the music medicine.

Music uplifts and motivates – it rejuvenates and revitalizes. It is universal, transcending boundaries, cultures, languages and religions. An Indian friend of mine residing in Bahrain who shares my passion for music told me of an incident some years ago where he was invited to Pakistan for a friends daughters wedding and happened to sit next to President Musharaf. Understanding the strained relationship between the two countries, the only topic that came to his mind in breaking the ice a propos the conversation with the President was music, which to his surprise was reciprocated in a positive manner by the President, his eyes lit up on the subject like a child in a candy shop. Music has that charming effect on dictators, even the mean Hitler was a obsequious lamb at the opera.

Inherent musical cultures of ancient civilizations such as China. Persia, India, Arabia and even Europe have long used music as a self expressive tool and a tonic for the mind, body and soul. Music has long known to have a calming influence on babies, helping in the development of their brains and adding value to the foundation of their growth. The angelic aura surrounding music and babies cannot be denied.

Johnny Cash had once said that “All music comes from God” . Maybe that could be the reason music is this unspoken harmonious, but gratifying bond between the spiritual and physical life - a true life force.

Ban the Gun

2009-04-07T04:06:00.000-07:00

There are many who attribute the recent shootings in the US to the recession. On closer examination, the current economic scenario seems just a part of a deeper and bigger issue. The crux of the problem lies in the availability of guns and the age old American gun law which is 218 years old - an out of date constitutional right that not many Americans agree to.

The common argument on gun control measures is that there is no full fledged guarantee of the problem being resolved, however it doesn't take a genius to point out that it would certainly reduce the impact of these random or spur of the moment shootings taking place. Imagine the Binghamgton or the Pittsburgh killer not finding means to a gun so easily, innocent lives could have been saved.

No one can predict the vagaries of the human mind - it is unpredictable and malleable – it vacillates depending on the situation. In a fit of rage and even depression the sick and weak mind exposed to a killing machine, can go to any length achieving its interpreted nirvana - by either self infliction or random firing. After the recent Virginia Tech School killings which resulted in 35 deaths, a major US Gun lobby had the audacity to make a statement saying the tragedy could be averted if students were allowed to carry guns in the school. Welcome to the crazy world we live in !

So why doesn’t America have a tough gun control measure like in Australia or simply ban the guns like in England. A gallup poll conducted in recent years put Americans in favour of strict gun control measures at 56%. The 2nd amendment in the US constitution clearly states " the right of the People to keep and bear arms". This held good in the times it was drafted. But try telling it to the 4 million strong gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, whose annual budget is in the vicinity of 200 million dollars and has been primarily responsible for existence of certain governments and politicians. They believe that a gun is inextricably linked to their culture and it is their freedom to own one to defend themselves.

Ironically, the pittsburgh killer besides losing his job feared that the Obama administration was poised to ban guns which was against his belief and his ideals. Three police officers lost their lives in the process. An unnecessary tragedy.

Maybe, President Obama will show the way forward by looking at drafting a law that pertains to the usage or banning of guns. Maybe not ! Meanwhile, there must be another mad man getting ready to gun down the innocent in America or for that matter in any other part of the world.
The probability in America will continue to be high due to the easy availability of Guns.

UFO Sightings in Bahrain

2009-03-31T20:49:00.000-07:00

If you are reading the above headline, let me take this opportunity to wish you a Happy April Fool's day.

The 1st of April continues to be celebrated as a fool's day worldwide and till date the origin of this somewhat amusing event has not been determined. Many attribute it to the reform of the calendar under Charles IX - he introduced the Gregorian Calendar which amended the New Year from April 1st to January 1st. The people who forgot to adhere to this change were labeled fools. Some believe it to have commenced in Iran in 536 BC the Iranian New year where they play jokes celebrating Norouz – the day being called Sizdah Bedar. Different cultures have their claim to the origin of the festival, the list is verylong. The fact remains, there are many people who are at their scrutinizing best when absorbing news on this day - not wanting to bite the bullet from certain proverbial pranksters.

A Prank is a practical joke (could also involve a malicious intent) to make someone foolish just for a laugh. There is a thread like crevice separating an inoffensive prank and hooliganism with the intent to demean or harm someone. Pranks are prominently pulled off by people who know each other though at times it could be otherwise. There are some like Sacha Baron Cohen who makes millions out of his pranks – the most recent one being posing as a reporter and donning a military uniform of the Alabama National Guard barracks without their knowledge, for his forthcoming movie.

Pranks could also be attributed to the exuberance of youth and adventure seeking - though there are some adults who revel in it too. Yours truly (in the youth days) had his share of admonishment for initiating and abetting in many pranks (cannot list all) some of which are listed below.

- Tying a 100 rupee note to a piece of thread activating it through an individual sitting behind a covered bush. The note just kept on moving when anyone stooped down to pick it up – some folks were virtually on their knees following the note to the bush.
- Sending the strict college administrator to a friend's home with a wreath of flowers our group put up a notice on the college board of the respective friends demise, the friend gladly partaking in this somewhat cruel prank - a group of us were pulled up.
- A decade and a half ago, sending three of our colleagues to a five star hotel here in Bahrain dressed up in a formal suit for a special re-grouping meeting of our public speaking forum – the meeting never existed. Their faces were to be seen.

Here's a piece of advice for those at the receiving end of pranks (I too belong to this club) let me say "Many wise men agree it is okay to be foolish – for every act of foolishness is the step to wisdom". Smile. Have a fool-proofed day.

Fish Tales

2009-03-28T00:27:00.000-07:00

Finally, good sense has prevailed and the fish crisis in Bahrain is hopefully over for now.

The issue had been a big shock to many - since it not only affected the vast majority of people who looked upon fish as a staple diet, but also the livelihood of hardworking fishermen. Having said that, what it rightfully did was that it made everyone sit up and take notice of the plight of these hardworking people (who are otherwise forgotten) and more importantly the future of such an important industry. This temporary jolt did receive a lot of space in the media.

It was Dr Peale who once said "Shocks and jolts are necessary components of every person's life - they are to the human mind what exercise is to the muscle." The current tough economic climate is a prime example.

On the subject, the Japanese have a brilliant philosophy taught in corporate boardrooms called the fish philosophy, applicable to life and business. I was fortunate to partake in such a session in an otherwise boring corporate boardroom - mostly made up of people who put you to sleep. The story goes that the Japanese, whose penchant for fresh fish is well known, had to send out boats (which became bigger) towards farther places, since the waters close to the country never had fish for decades. It resulted in long journeys with the fish being put in freezers. The discerning public did not accept this fact very well. The fish were then put in tanks but they were still judged stale by the people.

It became a big problem until the people in charge hit upon an idea of putting a shark in the tank knowing it would swallow a few but would keep the majority on their toes looking for survival. The idea worked and it was a huge success resulting in great sales and revenue. The point being made here is that the jolt to the small fish in the tank automatically translated into vigour, taste and freshness even though some perished.

The shark in this case was the catalyst in an otherwise complacent fish's life, which realised the importance of putting in their mind and effort to escape it. There are many of us who are like the fish in the tank having the tendency to sail along in life's waters - many a times happy with the status quo and content with the progress until there's a jolt or a shark in our life turning it 360 degrees, catching us totally unprepared.

The reality is we have to constantly be on our guard, ready for eventualities but being positive at all times. It is said that our real problem is not our strength today - rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow. The fish who survived the shark are a perfect example - their strength was their taste and freshness brought to the table for the people devouring them. We all need to be ready to counter the sharks in our lives.

The Power of Hope

2009-03-01T12:19:00.000-08:00

Today, if one were to associate the word hope with a pictorial image, it would have to be US President Barack Obama. The man indisputably carries the hope of billions on his shoulders - hope that the world will be a better place to live and that the wrongs committed by his country will be made right. As humans our relationship with the word hope is inextricable, we live in hope that our children become good human beings, settle down well in life, that we will have a retirement life free of worries and enough money to relax and enjoy, that we are able to sign that lucrative business deal, that ourselves along with our kith and kin remain healthy and happy. The examples are many.

Hope is a necessary ingredient in our lives.Without it life is meaningless. It is the engine that keeps us going even though the destination may seem unapproachable. It is said that hope carries both a positive and negative sentiment since it is in essence a desired feeling of maybe. The great Francis Bacon said 'Hope is a good breakfast but a bad supper'. On dissecting it further it simply implies everything will be fine even if all seems lost. On the other hand, it also indicates tomorrow is a grey area it may or may not happen. Hope without suitable action and constructive execution is redundant.

Recently, I bumped into a friend who changed jobs. He was clear in his assertion that he didn't see hope of a better future with his existing company and he had to make the move to a new job with the hope that it would bring back the excitement and more importantly money. He stated "The hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel is what matters, regardless if I am successful or not." This kind of hope is different from false hope which touches upon fantasising or dreaming about winning that lottery ticket.

In one of the best Hollywood classics Shawshank Redemption the central protagonist played by Tim Robbins dwells on the subject of hoping one day he will be free to which his friend, the character played by Morgan Freeman, tells him 'Hope is a dangerous thing.'The movie ends with Tim Robbins prevailing and reaching his desired goal - all with the power of hope accompanied with intelligence, undying faith and trust.It is said that hope is the dream of a soul awake.

Hope gains a lot of strength if there is a spiritual association - it is therefore in our hands to change this subjective positive expectation to reality - you just have to believe, trust, pray and act.

Recession and Millionaires

2009-03-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

Reminiscing an evening a couple of years ago with a friend under the thatched roof of a shed on the pristine shores of Cancun against the backdrop of the setting sun - this millionaire friend of mine made a comment that stuck in my mind like a leech. The words at the time carried an air of superiority mixed with a trace of egotism. He said, "I don't have to worry about my children's future, I have enough to sustain them and their children."The man had his own financial business and was doing extremely well at the time. Today, with markets crashing, the story is different. He apparently dabbled aggressively in the stock market and has lost almost 75 per cent of his earnings.

Which brings to my mind words penned in this column a year ago. It went like this: "You who gloat in your self-made dance of arrogance, you who walk with your head in the clouds, it is just a matter of time till you are brought down to the ground with a resounding thud." And it has unfortunately happened. Many have had their wallets flattened and the number of people committing suicide worldwide have increased two to three-fold in the past two months. That is not to say they all wallowed in arrogance or an inflated ego. They have just been laid low by a cruel and hollow world, leaving them with huge debts, depression, stress - to fathom that this could happen to them was unimaginable, as they believed they were the untouchables.

The point being made here is that there is no guarantee, no formula of a cushioned path in the journey of life - it continues to be mysterious and complex, especially when revered institutions and people whom you have looked up to, fall down like a pack of cards. Here today, gone tomorrow. Billionaires and millionaires have halved their earnings in the past six months, with some being spirited enough to take it in their stride, going back to the drawing board to start all over again - the much-needed positive thinkers in a world gone awry - and others taking the easy route of suicide.

There are some who have become philosophical about the loss. I met a friend who has lost a substantial amount in the stock market. He put it succinctly in Hindi with a smile, but serious hidden undertones "Roti, kapada aur makaan (food, clothing and shelter) it has come down to that". He added: "I am happy I am blessed with the basics". A fair, encouraging and motivating assessment to all who have lost everything.

Ironically, against this backdrop the film Slum-dog Millionaire, a winner at the prestigious Golden Globe Awards, couldn't be more timely. The story of a slum boy who makes it in the real world despite odds coincides with another historic moment - the swearing-in of black President Barack Obama in America - we are certainly staring at a new world order, as recently stated by British Premier Gordon Brown.So who knows, in the coming months - the hard-to-digest truth will reveal more millionaires facing the cash crunch (no one would wish that). However as the saying goes, there is always sunshine after rain and one would hope to see most of them and more slum patrons turn into millionaires in the new world that is just round the corner. Obviously, patience, focus and hard-work will determine that.

Hit them hard India

2009-01-05T08:21:00.000-08:00

As an ex Mumba-ite, I am shocked but not surprised at the recent terrorist attacks which has stunned the world and have kept people of every nationality (here in Bahrain too) glued on to the television screens. I must confess it was a disaster waiting to happen taking into account the power wrangling between the local politicians, the lax security and the easy going attitude of the administration. The reason I say this is because Mumbai, the commercial capital of India has witnessed three major terrorist attacks prior to this one namely the 1993 bomb blasts (yours truly being witness to the horrific scenes, even helping out people) that killed 257, injured more than 700 - the 2003 Gateway of India blasts ironically happened in the current area where the attacks have taken place leaving 46 people dead and the 2006 train blasts where more than 200 people lost their lives. So the question in every person’s mind is why have there been no pro-active measures safeguarding the citizens after all this – why haven’t we done anything, just like the Americans did after 9/11?

Since the nineties, one has been witness to some heartening messages of how resilient Mumbai and the Mumbai-ites are - every-time they have been badly hit. The most common lines being “the spirit of mumbai lives on”. This has been beautiful in words but time has come to say ‘enough is enough’. The recent attack has undeniably dented this undying spirit making it a watershed one in Mumbai’s and India’s history. Every person I spoke to from the city were at their impulsive best, understandably - shouting expletives about the terrorists, the system and the administration, wanting some concrete action – even if it was all out war against its neighbours. But looking logically that could be a knee-jerk reaction to the crisis, until all evidence is gathered.

These terrorist’s are offshoots of fanaticism - fanaticism is a result of a sick socio-economic and political system (seen in India’s neighbourhood) where education and welfare is non-existent in certain parts, where people feel they are deprived of the basic needs or oppressed. These terrorists or fanatics hence relate directly to a fundamentalist ideology, religion or symbolism promising them a seat in heaven, even if they have to kill an innocent child. Mumbai on the other hand was selected as it is a progressive modern city that propagates everything that goes against these views besides being a financial nerve centre of India where billions of dollars in deals are signed - where people of all caste, creeds and religions co-exist together in tolerance.

The time has come for Mumbai and every Indian to put aside its age old Gandhian principles which has been a well entrenched paradigm amongst the Indian psyche and the Indians per se. India as a country has never invaded any country, it has always been tagged as the Mr Nice Guy bearing the brunt no matter what happens. However this is changing, the new India is on the road to be a superpower, this change with its economic growth is bringing about a new confidence and aggressiveness not seen before. The answer to the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai should be the writing of a new chapter in the annals of Indian history. India should not be soft and hit back at the terrorists who are operating freely in the neigh-bouring countries. India has the firepower to move in and destroy these camps - an eye for an eye is the only solution to this problem. The only way India’s citizens can sleep in peace.

A Christmas for Carol

2009-01-05T08:17:00.000-08:00

The financial crisis coupled with the job losses have made many sit back and take stock of their money spend, clearly outlining the importance of their needs and wants. With Christmas just round the corner there are some who are changing their conventional pattern of celebrating the festival. Carol is one such lady who normally celebrates the occasion with pomp and splendour. But this year is different and it is not because of the crisis neither of the job loss, it is about a calling from within, after a self introspection and a new found will to make a small difference in a world that has gone haywire.

Carol’s change of heart seems influenced by a letter she read from a young orphaned girl aged 6 in Pakistan who has beautifully penned down some lines to Santa to bring back her mother and father who were recent victims of a savage bomb blast in Karachi. The letter asks Santa that even if he could bring them down from heaven for a day she would be happy as she forgot to give them her goodnight kiss. The girl sums up the letter by asking Santa to give her toys to another kid who lost her eyes and hands in the blast. Carol’s eyes seemed moist as she narrated the story and made the point that how many of us who are fortunate and blessed with everything, realize the value of what we have.

Looking closely at Christmas it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and revolves around the nativity story (the difficult circumstances surrounding the birth). Jesus was born in a manger and the birth itself was a message to the world about sacrifice, humility, love, peace and understanding. All this seems contradictory to the world we live in, Jesus’ ideologies have been conveniently set aside all in the name of celebrations. His teachings of values, love and brotherhood somehow does not resonate in a materialistic and degrading moral societal world. Christmas itself has been commercialized to the extent that people have forgotten the true meaning of the occasion and hover around gift giving and Santa Claus.

Coming to Carol it has been an awakening of sorts, she is a girl who normally revels in shopping and partying during the Christmas season. But this year she wants to do it differently and if one scrutinizes it carefully she is adhering to a correct message emanating from the true essence of the occasion. Christmas is a time for giving, a time for sharing your rewards with those who are underprivileged and unfortunate. And her message to all those who socialize in the festive spirit seems simple “Whatever you do, spare a thought, a prayer, light a candle for the unfortunate and suffering - the victims of the recent terrorist attacks, the seniors who have no one to talk to, the people who have been badly hit by the financial crisis, the people in the war zones getting ready to shelter themselves from the next bomb and many others”. She adds “This is the true essence has always been the message of the baby born in the manger. Let us not lose sight of the real meaning this Christmas”.

Ironically, Carol is a Christian and an Indian national inspired by a Pakistani young muslim girl. There is no talk of religious and national bigotry, a perfect example of what we need in a world devoid of humanity and compassion.

Prosecuting Bush

2008-10-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

What does Saddam Hussein, Slobodan Milosevic and Radavan Karadzic have in common ? They all were convicted of crimes against humanity - for violating the decrees of war, breaching the geneva convention and genocide. The former two have breathed their last whilst the third one awaits his trial.

To the thinking mind, the crimes committed by the three and many more are no different from the crimes of one Mr George Bush and his collaborators. It was Aldous Huxley who candidly put it “in character of our nation, we are able to bully and cheat with a feeling that we are profoundly virtuous”. Bush and party are perfect examples justifying their actions in the name of defense and a safer world. The immeasurable sufferings caused to millions of innocent human beings categorically make them prime candidates for war crimes.

A Los Angeles county prosecutor and best selling novelist Vincent Bugliosi is on a mission to make Bush pay for his crimes and his recent polemic, “Prosecution of George W Bush for Murder” (the book is being hushed up by the American media) gives a clear count of why George Bush should be punished, stating the estimates that more than 1.2 million Iraqis have been killed, more than 4 million displaced – nearly 4000 American soldiers have been killed with another 100,000 estimated wounded. His argument is simple, if an individual who accidentally kills a person in a liquor store in America is liable to prosecution then why does someone who has without evidence manufactured so much death, pain and misery of an indescribable scale go scot free – no one is above the law.

An old school saying comes to mind “There are two ways to take on the big bully, either face him head on or marshal forces against him ”. Bugliosi is doing the latter in his own way but let’s face it, in this double faced world of ours taking a stand against the mighty has never been an easy ride, all credit should be given to him for taking a stance whether it is politically motivated or not. Who can imagine a Bush or for that matter a Blair convicted as a War Crimes Criminal ? Can it ever happen ? My hunch is that if America continues its fervent hobby of triggering wars (just like a play-station game) causing millions of deaths, the day won’t be far when an American President stands at the war crimes tribunal in Hague. The recent world happenings on the economic front are signs of things to come.

Coming to Bugliosi, he is not alone in his cause against Bush there are some lawyers in Canada, some in Japan and many others in different parts of the world – they are vehemently backed by a celebrated Nuremberg chief prosecutor who says there is a case for trying Bush for the 'supreme crime against humanity’. The signs of such a movement is good news, regardless of the result – it is a healthy assurance, there is a world out there not swayed by big powers or individuals of might.

Meanwhile Bush prepares to vacate his office, a free man probably settling down to his speaking engagements, writing a book, advising corporations, party members etc – the usual money making machinery of a retired American President. In the interim, a 85 year old nazi veteran Paul Henss is being tried for war crimes because a high ranking official of the US State Department’s Nazi-hunting bureaucracy has declared him a war criminal for training guard dogs used at German concentration camps. The veteran was 22 when world war II ended. You be the judge of who rightly deserves the punishment (Bush or the Nazi veteran) – the hypocrisy and bullying continues.

Death of an Art Icon

2008-09-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

The news of the demise of Dr Ahmed Baqer came as an upset of sorts since I was living in the hope (after my last meeting with him) that he would conquer the dreaded disease i.e. cancer, he suffered from. Alas ! that wasn’t the case.

Dr Baqer was one of those rare artistic personalities who came across as a simple, humble, likeable person. He truly epitomized the rich heritage and traditions of the Kingdom of Bahrain and was a true patriot of the country. The beauty of his persona was his extensive knowledge of the country and its rich culture seen beautifully depicted through his paintings which had soul and spirit writ all over. His passing away is not only a loss to the Bahrain Arts Society but to every art lover and creative thinker of the world.

Dr. Ahmed Baqer was a master of his craft earning a Phd in fine arts from the French Sorbonne University. He had studied and researched art on an extensive level. He was a frequent participant in several local and international exhibitions. A winner of many art awards, he was a name to reckon with in the arts arena the world over.

I had the privilege to interact with him some months back at his home when I worked with him on his Art exhibition at the Bahrain National Museum. He was a perfect host and made me (a foreigner), feel at home even though it was my first interaction with him. His penchant and eye for detail was very vivid when he briefed me on how he saw the event unfolding - the passion and love for his craft also seemed very evident that I could not help but remain in awe of his enthusiasm and zest for life and his trade. Thereafter I did visit him a couple of times for the finalization of the event whereby he enriched my knowledge on his art also giving me a very detailed overview and explanation of his book Bahrain’s Authentic Arabian Horses - a historical record of the Royal family’s Horses - the book in Arabic and English continues to be one of the rare sources on Arabian horses in the region.

I think we all owe it to the genius of Dr Baqer for not only educating us with his remarkable gift of art but for being a true ambassador of this great country. As it is said “Your talent is God’s gift to you, what you do with it is your gift to God”. There can be no doubt that Dr Baqer radiated that gift to perfection. Our colossal loss is heaven’s gain. Nevertheless, we should be grateful to the almighty that such a talent lived amongst us – someone who worked arduously for promoting Bahrain through his art. May his soul rest in peace. Thank you Dr Baqer.

Stop the Madness

2008-09-20T03:33:00.001-07:00

In the past few weeks the religious hindu bigots of India namely the RSS, the Bajrang Dal and the VHP seemed to have donned the mantle of hell’s emissaries sent specifically on a mission to strike the innocent and weak, their targets the Christians in Karnataka, Gujarat, Orissa, Ujjain and Jabalpur. In Mangalore, Karnataka over 18 churches and worship centres were viciously attacked and almost a hundred Christians seriously injured - including nuns, priests, pastors and church-workers. These so called “Protectors of Religion” have re-defined brutality in its truest sense, plummeting beyond the depths of human depravity. It begs the question if these people and many of the other self appointed protectors of worldwide religions have a deep seated conscience – a conscience referred to by the great Mahatma Gandhi as the ‘true inner god‘ - to resort to such dastardly acts.

These so called defenders and spokespersons of the Hindu religion in India have taken it upon themselves to represent the wide majority of peace loving Hindus who have been living in harmony with Christians and Muslims for centuries. The recent ignition to the flame seems the age old bone of discontentment- the forceful conversions through inducements, by the Christian missionaries. Even is this is true, no human being has a right to resort to such unimaginable acts that have taken place. In Orissa dozens of sisters-nuns who have dedicated their lives to the service of the poor and needy were subject to rape, abuse, trauma & molestation for no fault of theirs. The state government for its part have been silent spectators understanding the significance and importance of the vote banks held by the devout but poor, uneducated and illiterate hindu majority in the respective states.

The outspoken journalist and TV personality Karan Thapar, a Hindu - put it skillfully in his writings on the subject “Do these people have the right to speak on behalf of me and all the peace loving Hindus of India and the world. He boldly adds “If anyone changes faith even due to inducements, it can only prove that the forsaken faith had a tenuous and shallow hold. I believe the time has come for the silent majority of Hindus to speak out. We cannot accept the desecration of churches, the burning to death of innocent caretakers of orphanages, the storming of Christian and Muslim hamlets even if these acts are allegedly done in defence of our faith. Indeed, they do not defend but shame Hinduism”

It is no secret that the schemers of these violent acts are the surreptitious politicians whose acts of knavery have not only impeded on the progress of the great nation but transformed simple people into monsters destroying the secularism that India proudly boasted off over the years through Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Abdul Kalam and many more.

It is time for everyone especially the like minded Hindus the world over to unite in voicing their concern and to put an end to this madness. India doesn’t need it.

Terrorist, Freedom Fighter... a Human Being ?

2008-09-20T03:29:00.000-07:00

The recent vacation to Toronto had many memories, one of which continues to remain top of mind querying the intricacies of the topic.

It was one of those bright and cheerful Friday’s with the Torontians enjoying the seduction by the otherwise elusive sun, people splashing their appealing summer wear with children enjoying the remnants of the summer holidays - office goers in busy conversations about their weekend plans, their barbecue gatherings. In the midst of these happenings, I boarded the train with the family to Union Station to watch a broadway musical. The silence of the journey was broken at one of the stops by a group of South East Asians carrying placards of their leader - one of the group members thin, dark and short in stature holding his placard happened to plant himself at the vacant seat opposite me.

My penchant for picking up conversations with strangers is a well known fact –much to the wife’s chagrin. Seeing the placard I immediately understood the group the man belonged to, I put on an ignorant front inquiring curiously what was it all about and who was the leader. My question ignited the man’s enthusiasm, he blurted out that his leader was Prabhakaran and this was a peaceful protest downtown for a separate state in Sri Lanka. Being well aware of the serious political situation in that beautiful country, I decided immediately against playing the judge or advocate of who is right or wrong, my inclination was towards the person as a human being. The man however took off revealing he was a freedom fighter at age 15 adept at the use of an AK 47 carrying a cyanide pill around his neck and proudly stating he took down a few men. My wife who by now was getting nervy could be seen terrified to her wits. At the corner of my eye, I could see her holding my boy a little tighter – I sensed she viewed him as an immediate threat to our security. I could feel a gentle but discreet pinch on the arm – a message that I should end the conversation.

I continued as my curiosity knew no bounds, I wanted to know more. Having said that, I was very confident if push came to shove I could defend myself on a one to one, if the need arose. But that was not necessary, my stranger friend seemed only willing to share his exploits and went on to tell me that his father rescued him from the jungles otherwise he would have been dead. Then he went on tell me a chilling story of how his leader, himself and a group of them in their bunker were surrounded by soldiers – the timely arrival of their colleagues resulted in them surviving the onslaught. He elaborated that he currently was living on the refugee status granted by Canada (after a long wait) which has made him do a self introspection of his life - he now volunteers in looking after the aged and the sick at the local hospital.

To my wife’s relief our station arrived and she jumped out of her seat shaken but very excited to leave. I had a few more questions but couldn’t continue. I excused myself shaking hands with the young man only to be admonished by the wife at the station if I was out of my mind. I couldn’t help smiling but I empathized with her, cause no matter what he said, he was a law-breaker in his native country.

In conclusion, he was a perfect example to the debate making the rounds in the world media i.e. Terrorist or a Freedom fighter - to me he was just another human being with whom I would gladly share a coffee or a drink no matter what people say. It occurred to me there are many like him out there in this small world of ours.

The Happiness Debate

2008-09-02T01:57:00.000-07:00

In the year 1916 the great writer, editor and poet Carl Sandberg penned his opinion on happiness judiciously. He said “I asked Professors who teach the meaning of life to tell me what is happiness and I went to famous executives and rich men who work with thousands of men. They all shook their heads and gave me a smile as though I was trying to fool them. And one day I was walking along the river and I saw a horde of labourers under a tree with their tents around - their women and children singing, smiling and dancing, happiness I found there”

Sandberg’s view seemed closely linked to the Easterlain Paradox some 50 plus years later (named after Richard Easterlain in 1970, a famous psychologist) which stated that once the basic needs of man are met, money does not influence happiness. This view with no parallel to Maslow’s model has been recently challenged by two professors Stevenson and Wolfers who argue that money does buy happiness and backs up their discussion with the world gallup poll that wealthier the countries are the happier they are. The recent view which is still being deliberated on clearly underlines the times we live in - we have evolved and become materialistic and brand-centralized. The debate meanwhile rages on filling the books for the happiness seekers – it will continue, as long as the human species exists.

The great Lincoln once remarked that “people are just as happy as they make up their minds to be” – analyzing it further, it is a state of mind which we attain by victoriously overcoming the troubles of human existence. It is not discovered in absence of trials but in midst of them. Lincoln in-fact simplified it that it was no rocket science (which seems logical) but his view goes against the belief by some that happiness is a butterfly sitting on one’s shoulder, flying when you attempt catching it. The perspectives on happiness continue being infinite. A poster on my wall (an ode specially to the married folks) says 90 percent of an individual’s happiness is determined by marrying the right person. One may or may not agree with this statement but the increase in divorce rates clearly endorses this fact.
Coming to the country survey on happiness the “world values society” puts Denmark as the leading country with Zimbabwe and its tyrannical dictatorial regime on the lower rung of the ladder. The Danes ironically considered ‘need’ not ‘greed’ and their focus revolved around minimization of poverty, starvation and crime, equality and freedom, community well being, security, relationships, harmony and peace with compassionate generous social programs, peacekeeping and generous foreign aid.

On a macro level, whilst a good economic climate, dignity and freedom etc are important - on a microscopic level, I believe it boils down to the basics which is living in a simple manner within one’s means, being optimistic, adapting and loving at all times, freeing your mind from hate and ego which always crops up as the indefatigable devil, working smartly at something you are passionate about, (money will undoubtedly follow) – praying, meditating, being honest and loyal to everyone you meet, eating healthy, having fun, being grateful for whatever you have and contributing even if it’s a little to those who are not that fortunate.

Whilst the debate continues worldwide, I sum this piece with Zig Ziglar’s assessment on happiness “Until you are happy with who you are, you will never be happy with what you have”. Touche !

Points in View - July 2008

2008-07-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

A few thoughts on a beautiful bright sunny day in a life confounded with queries and opinions.

On Freedom and Values
The recent case of 17 teenage American school girls taking an oath of getting pregnant questions the state of the world we live in. America is a free country but freedom as interpreted by these girls (who seem from broken homes) is not only shocking but degrading to all Americans and non Americans. Just goes to show that as humans we have gone way across the morals and values line. What next ?

On Alternative Energy
The surge in oil prices is pushing companies to find alternatives. Many top corporations in the US and other countries are busy scurrying to be the first in finding an alternative. The one in the race is LS9 a scientific laboratory funded by Vinod Khosla of Sun Microsystems – they are genetically altering small bugs which will feed on woodchips and agricultural waste – (believe it or not) their excretion is crude oil. It is too early to predict anything happening soon but it is certainly the sign of the times we are in and history bears testimony to the fact that man has succeeded in finding alternatives when pushed against the wall.

On Federer vs Nadal
The raw power of Nadal may have overcome the Fedex (as Roger Federer is known) at Wimbledon but no one can deny that Roger Federer is a true champion in every sense - his resilience during the final was a lesson to everyone in every field of life and business - one should never give up even in trying times. The icing on the cake was the composed manner in which he conducted himself admiring his opponent even though he lost. Take a bow Roger, you are the best.

On the US Iran Rhetoric
The rhetoric has been frequently flying from both sides for some time and I cannot fathom the US taking on Iran or aiding Israel after making a mess in Iraq and Afghanistan, but one cannot write it off. The talk of war has been on for some time and it endorses the view that ‘war is good business’ as it is the same people who talk about it. Let’s hope sense prevails and both countries sit across the table solving the issues in an amicable manner.

On China, India Rising
There is no doubt that we are seeing a paradigm shift in world economic powers. I endorse this statement doing the email rounds ‘In the good old days parents would tell their children to eat the food on the table thinking of the starving in China and India’. They would in the future have to say “Eat what you have today or else the people in China and India would make you starve tomorrow”. Reality in progress, sooner than you think !.

On Dubai Vs Bahrain – Veneer Vs Soul
Dubai seems on a high at the moment with the world’s biggest mall, world’s tallest building, worlds biggest water-fountain etc etc but whilst one admires the direction in which it is going it does look like veneer in comparison to the real soul that is Bahrain which was the first to discover oil, first in diversifying the economy, first to provide education for both males and females from 1920 onwards etc etc.

The Henpecked Ones

2008-06-19T05:46:00.000-07:00

“Your columns have a very pro-women ring to it” say male friends of mine. They however agree the stark reality is we live in a male dominated world (which is changing) women have certainly not been given their due share in many countries. Having said that, it is not all one sided, there are some women who have craftily taken advantage of this fact and astutely, if not deviously made the man toe the line. These women are imperious and aggressive at time embarrassing the hapless if not daft man who unfortunately seems content with the treatment meted out to him. A relevant quote in this regard stands testimony to this henpecked-ness “She likes going to the seashore, claiming that the mountain air disagrees with her. He can’t see how it would dare”.

The word ‘henpecked’ refers to a man beset to constant harassment, domination, if not nagging from the wife. The word may not come up often in conversations but it certainly exist at the back of the mind meeting a person of this sort. So what does henpecked mean? The origin of the word comes from hens (chickens ) who peck at each other even in a crowd and can keep on pecking till the other one is dead. It is observed that that these chickens have a social hierarchy in which the top chicken pecks the ones below and ones below keep pecking the ones down the rung. Something similar to certain hierarchal management structures. Ironically, it is no secret that there are managers who are tigers at work but lambs in the presence of their wives. Some years ago I was witness to one shuddering at the call of the housewife who was virtually shouting expletives at the poor chap wanting to know why the bank account was not in order. He was speechless.

From Biblical times to recent years, there have been men who have succumbed to women domination - the great and powerful Samson was a meek lamb in front of the charming Delilah paying a heavy price with his life. If reports are to be believed Yoko Ono left cat turds in her late husband John Lennon’s way to remind him who was the boss. His Beatles colleague Paul Mcartney who recently settled his divorce with Heather Mills for a hefty sum, summed up the relationship saying “living with her was a fate worse than death”. Whether Mcartney’s rant was true or not, one should bear in mind he did have a great marriage with his first wife Linda who died of cancer. For husbands who find themselves at the receiving end, there is a ‘Harassed Husbands Association’ in Bangalore, India founded by a lawyer to help men who go through the torturous reign of the authoritative wife.

Call it domination, control and all out dictatorship by the wife “doormat or henpecked husbands” are a reality. One would assume these men are just flaccid in character going with the flow to keep the relationship, either crazy in love, either insecure or just plain foolish - begging the question, How can one with a brain be so tame ?. Relationships are based on a thorough understanding and adjustment between partners and surprisingly there are men who chicken out in front of the wife. As it is said of them “These men prefer going to a women dentist since it’s a relief to open their mouths instead of shutting it”.

In final analysis, there is a huge difference between overwhelming submissiveness (kicking aside logic) and taking heed of some sensible or logical advice from the wife. Henpecked husbands sadly do not understand the difference.

An Interview with Hollywood Producer Stephen Brown

2008-06-17T04:54:00.000-07:00

He is the Executive Producer of Hollywood Blockbusters like Seven, Devil's Advocate, Outbreak, The Fugitive and many more. I caught up for a tete a tete' with him during his brief sojourn.

Q1 ; What brings a Hollywood celebrity to Bahrain ?
Ans : The Middle East has always fascinated me. Its rich heritage and culture continues to intrigue me. I would say the mystical connection with the region, and Bahrain, in particular, seems to finally be realized through my new business venture. My research and business feasibility study with this venture commenced in Dubai and my search for the right partner in branding and marketing this business concept in the region brought me in contact with Vahid from Bahrain. It was his encouragement, insistence and foresight that provided the momentum for me to come to Bahrain and a series of introductory meetings and discussions commenced which has led to the fruition of my concept. I am happy to say it has been a very positive experience. Inshallah, as they say, it looks very good.

Q2. So what exactly is the ‘business idea / concept” you intend promoting ?
Ans : It is a high concept business in the Medical industry, and specifically in cosmetic and aesthetic dermatology. I am bringing Beverly Hills sophistication and the highest medical standards and most advanced technology to the region. I believe there is a huge niche in this segment of the medical field that needs to be filled in the region and elsewhere and I am convinced of its success because with my business partner, Dr. Peter Kopelson, a renowned and prominent Beverly Hills dermatologist, our team involves some of the best brains in the medical and business fraternity in the world.

Q3 : As this is your third trip, what is your assessment of Bahrain ? Where do you see Bahrain heading in the future ?
Ans; Visually, it is obvious that a lot of development is taking place. Bahrain has a sophisticated financial community and provides an environment which is highly conducive for launching and managing business opportunities. I believe this stems from the fact that traditionally Bahrain has been the regional hub for banking and finance. However, in the competitive GCC business environment of today, Bahrain should be cautious and look to avoid being complacent, and capitalize on the tremendous potential available in its own backyard. There is undoubtedly enormous room for expansion here. The foundation is strong with an inherent and tolerant business culture. You can only grow from such a formidable base provided that the right measures are taken and everyone is on board.

Q4: Do you see yourself being immersed in many more business opportunities in Bahrain ? How would you compare Bahrain in context of Dubai where it all started ?
Ans : If more opportunities arise for doing business in Bahrain, why not ?. The sky is the limit.
I don’t think it is fair to compare Bahrain to Dubai or vice versa. Both have their own unique and independent characteristics. Dubai has developed and grown at an exceedingly rapid rate and has done an extraordinary job of aggressively promoting itself as a financial center and as a tourist destination. I state this fact because as recent as 5 years ago, the mass population in the West had not even heard about Dubai.

On the other hand, Bahrain has always enjoyed a superb reputation in the West. It has always been a reference point for banking and finance in the Middle East. Certainly, on a popular culture level, it has been known as the place that Michael Jackson came to stay. But, Bahrain has not promoted itself aggressively on the world stage in order to attract more businesses and as a cultural destination. Culturally, you have a population which is educated, cosmopolitan and tolerant which is encouraging. You have world class restaurants and some of your architectural monuments are second to none in the world. There is an intrinsic local charm that is refreshing and something that deserves to be discovered by foreigners.

Q5 : There are some in the west who are circumspect of their dealings with the middle east in lieu of the recent world happenings – what makes a celebrity like you come here to cut a business deal without hesitation ? What is your take ?
Ans : I believe this is where the need for good PR and marketing is critical. Collectively, the Middle East, and the GCC, in particular, should have a consolidated PR strategy. I know this is no small feat, but it is necessary to correct the perception in the West. As for me, I have always been curious and somewhat enamored by this part of the world, and I believe others are as well because of the rich history and heritage. On a personal note, as the saying goes “the world is my oyster”, I love the adventure of travel and learning about different cultures, and shuttle regularly between Los Angeles and Rome (Italy) as I am fortunate to have homes in both cities, and hopefully now Bahrain becomes a part of this journey.

The world economy has undergone an almost revolutionary shift over the years. What was once recognized as the developing world is now setting the standard for the “developed” world. Historically, the perception of the Gulf region has been that it is a place of enormous wealth because of its natural resources. On the other hand, there has always been trepidation that the local infrastructure doesn’t support the mandate for doing business and for discovering its people and culture. However, this is now changing and is evident by the high standards which I have witnessed here.

Q6: Is there intention to produce a film with financiers from Bahrain or the Middle East ?
Ans : There is a huge void in Hollywood that can be filled by financiers here in Bahrain and in the Middle East, at large. At the moment, I do not have a specific agenda to do so, but a great script and story that I am passionate about can change all that.

Q7; Many of our readers would be interested to know more about the films you produced in Hollywood ? Which one you believe is your favourite ?
Ans : It would be unfair to say which one is my favorite. I have been fortunate to have collaborated with some of the greatest creative talent in the world, and to expose the world to exciting and entertaining stories. Each movie has a life of its own, and provides stories that hopefully touch on matters that people from all parts of the world can relate to and enjoy. To say that one in particular is my favorite would be like saying one of your children is your favorite. They all have their unique features and attributes and for that I am extremely proud.

Q8 : What drives ‘Stephen Brown” the business man ? What makes you tick ?What advice would you impart to the young generation ?
Ans : There are certain basic values that have been the cornerstone of my business life with integrity, transparency and passion being the pillars. I have always been ambitious and adventurous in venturing into new business endeavors that I am passionate about and have learned to listen and to trust my instincts. I am an extremely driven person and believe in the concept of ‘karma’. I am a “people’s person” who fully fathoms the value of relationships.

Conceptualizing new ideas and putting them in motion with the right people with expertise from different disciplines provides a sort of adrenaline rush. From the early stages of my business career I have been fortunate to work with and learn from very motivated and enthusiastic people. To sum it up, I would say I love to be the super glue that brings ideas and people together to achieve success.

My advice to the younger generation is to believe in your dreams, be tenacious in whatever you do, and never compromise the strong moral values of honesty and respect for others. Do everything with the greatest integrity, and be sensitive and culturally aware of your surroundings. Listen to people’s views and opinions, pay special attention to people with experience and knowledge in disciplines that you may not be adept at, and form your own decisions based upon your instincts. Remember that life and experience evolves and we are always learning. It is a huge world out there waiting to be explored and we are just tiny microorganisms that are here on a brief journey. The journey will not be an easy ride, accept and learn from your mistakes, never give up and hold onto your beliefs and persist - be tolerant, understanding and compassionate and the world can be yours to fulfill your dreams.

Q 9 : What memories would you be taking of Bahrain ?
Ans : Bahrain has already carve its own special place in my life. The warmth and hospitality has been awesome. I sincerely hope this is the beginning of a great experience – a great memory of my life. One thing for sure, it is high on my list on my world agenda.

Q10 : Whilst we wish you luck in your endeavours, what message would you like to give the people of Bahrain ?
Ans : “Be proud of your heritage and do everything in your capacity to make people understand your culture.

Business with a Conscience

2008-05-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

Many moons ago at the inaugural meeting of the World Economic Forum the Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab was heard saying “We are all bound by the same spirit. The spirit of entrepreneurship and the spirit of social engagement”. A beautiful statement deftly calling all entrepreneurs for working towards making of a better world. Today the question to be asked is how many companies seriously indulge in ‘the social engagement’ part. Imagine here in Bahrain (the financial capital of the middle east), if all financial institutions collaborate to make a conscious effort with government and civil society to eradicate the niggling tension brewing due to unemployment and poverty –a small country like Bahrain can be a revered model for the world to follow.

The mission and vision statements today of prominent blue chip corporations today talk about their intent in building a better society and helping the common man on the street. Whilst this looks good on paper and many companies are very much involved in doing their bit for society, there seems to be something amiss, as the common man’s woes continue unceasingly and with inflation soaring up, it is getting only worse by the day. The panacea seems a concerted and focused effort by all parties.

C.K. Prahalad the leading Business thinker of 2007 (Top 50 business Thinkers) – and renowned for his bestseller ‘fortune at the bottom of the pyramid-eradicating poverty through profits’ states that companies today need to focus at the bottom of the pyramid – in global terms, this refers to the four billion people who live on less than $2 per day. He believes that if this segment is creatively handled it will serve both commercial and the social needs - improving the lives of the sizable proportion of humanity that lives at or near subsistence. In the book Prahalad cites Unilever, an Indian Fortune 500 company that has innovated by reaching thousands of villages through resellers: poor women who are residents of these villages are trained to sell Unilever’s health and hygiene products. This has served both the organization, the community and the individuals as well.

Universally, the progress of society has created a gaping abyss between the rich and the poor, the “haves” and the “have nots”. People having more continue to make more and the people who earn less continue receiving the raw end of the stick. Ironically, the rich have smaller families and the poor continue having big families. The market from a volume standpoint in regard to the poor is huge - empowering these “aspiring” classes will reduce inequalities. David Bach another business thinker and ex top Mckinsey consultant (also in the Top 50 business thinkers) believes that managing non market relations will be a key to business success in the 21st century. His concept of ‘non-market strategy’ exclaims that is no longer sufficient to deal with customers, suppliers and shareholders, there needs to be a parallel strategy with social participants such as NGO’s, governments and other regulatory bodies that would create value and equality whilst building better economies.

C.K Prahalad puts it beautifully “If we stop thinking of the poor as victims or as a burden and start recognizing them as resilient and creative entrepreneurs and value-conscious consumers, a whole new world of opportunity will open up”.

For a minute just imagine if all profitable companies the world over resort to adopting Prahalad’s model, poverty and hunger would disappear at a rapid pace and the world would certainly be a better place to live in.

Taken for Granted

2008-05-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

Just the other day I played a successful mediator to a grave dispute between a husband and wife -both close friends of mine. The wife in particular kept harping the words “I am being taken for granted in this relationship”. At the time the words didn’t seem significant but hitting the pillow that night it did occur to me that we are all slaves to the ‘Taken for granted’ syndrome at some point in our lives. Whether it is husband and wife, boss and employee, consumer and manufacturer etc everyone is either at the top (taking others for granted) or at the bottom end (being taken for granted) of the stick once in a while.

Under the bottom end of the stick there are two groups, those who categorically state that they will not be taken for granted and fight their way out and then there are those who humbly swallow the pill, toe the line without complaining (taking it in their stride) deep down in their hearts knowing they can never change. A fact confirmed by many psychologists and counselors. These people are humble, sincere in their disposition, willing to go the extra mile in helping their spouses, colleagues, bosses, etc but somehow their giving attitude never gets the due recognition. Infact they are always pulled up if push comes to shove or when fingers have to be pointed. Their only consolation is words like ‘nice person, great individual, decent girl/guy etc’

Whilst nothing is wrong with these words, it is the ‘never seen fruits’ of their niceness that matters. Of-course, the fault also lies solely with these people because meekness of this kind today (I believe) is also viewed as weakness by many. The Relationship bosses revel when they have partners from the ‘submissive zone’ and if they obsequiously do the job without questioning or without any iota of aggression, it is the icing on the cake for these relationship czars. Prime examples are a working housewife doing the household chores inspite of her heavy work schedule but conveniently taken for granted by the husband and the children (who believe it is her god given duty) or an employee working the long hours and helping everyone but not getting his/her due. The list is endless.

So what should these people do, for starters a serious self introspection and a deep down insight into their ‘self image’ is a must. We live in a world today where the moment you are only a giver in a relationship, you are swallowed, trampled and ignored. In this context, it is imperative to know your take and stand in the relationship. There is no harm in voicing your opinion in a calm but firm manner, be true to your conscience. Be kind but assertive, be smart and tactful in whatever you do, but do not ignore yourself. The ‘What’s in it for me’ factor is very important in today’s dog eat dog world and should be brought to the fore.

And the most important part of it all which may not be endorsed by many but seems logical is ‘Walk out if you think you are not getting your fair share – for a person’s growth and the relationship’s success is impeded, if the proper balance of give and take is not struck’. A fact difficult to digest due to emotional attachments, dependence, financial stress and most of all self belief.

In final analysis, the people who feel they are taken for granted, have themselves to blame. Remember the world has always respected those who respect themselves – this is an undeniable fact.

I will sleep when I die

2008-04-06T06:07:00.000-07:00

On the hours of sleep required by a human being, I remember reading an article some time ago headlined 'Six hours for a man, seven for a woman and eight for a fool'.I never did agree with the piece because I believe that at least seven hours of sleep is essential for an active and vibrant being (male or female). In fact, I am not alone in this assumption, health and sleep experts say for optimum performance you need seven to nine hours of sleep - a necessary body and mind obligation.

On the subject of sleep, very often I meet people who inform me they begin their day at 5am walking, exercising, paper browsing etc. I also meet people who tell me they were up late at night reading a book, watching a film, catching up on work - just not able to put those eyes to rest. To both, I often put the question as to what type of person would they be categorised as "the morning larks or night hawks". The answers vary.However, research shows that 15 per cent of people would classify themselves as "morning type or larks". Another 20pc would call themselves "night type or owls". The remaining 65pc are indifferent or "mid-range".

My own unscientific assessment has concluded that most of the creative and right brained folks fall in the night hawks category whilst the morning larks have an inclination mostly towards the logical, left brained side. Having said that, I wouldn't say I am creative but there is no doubt that I fall in the category of the "night hawks" as all my writing and thinking abilities come to the fore after 12am. The cantankerous feel of getting up in the morning has been there ever since mum used to wake me (and my brother) for school at 6:00am years ago - those days after the usual "wake up boys, it's school-time" I remember little drops of water kindly being sprinkled on our faces as we dozed.

Those droplets of water had an immediate effect, but to me and my brother at the time, they beat any existing torture weapon in the world. Today, I do feel guilty when the wife wakes up my five-year-old boy for school at the same time. I empathise with the small fellow - he doesn't get the water sentence.

Sleep is important and too much of it is undeniably laziness. As for me, I prefer collecting my sleep debt during the week for use on Friday which again is a problem, as doctors say it could pose health issues in my later years. A quote I jotted down from a bed and bedroom store defines my affinity towards the subject "I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake".

Donald Trump (who sleeps four hours a day) will not agree. In his recent book, he categorically states "I will sleep when I die". He goes on to say "If anyone wants to be a billionaire, he should sleep less." Naturally, he has the free licence to make a statement like that, as he belongs to the exclusive billionaire club.

Science continues to unravel answers regarding the human mind and body as to what happens to it when we go to sleep and whilst new discoveries are being made, there is still no clear answer as to "Why do we remain unconscious - Why do we sleep?" There are many high, mid and low level insomniacs who toss and turn on their pillows longing for that elusive sleep - most affected by the niggling monster called stress - stress involving work pressures, financial and health worries, sibling disputes etc. To me, the answer always boils down to keeping a check in balance of mind and body - a constant challenge which is what life is all about.

The inspiration behind writing this piece was a beautiful text message I received from a female friend of mine - which simply read "I love to sleep. It's the only time I float in nothingness. No sadness to consume me. No happiness to overwhelm me. No fear to overcome. No norms to conform to. A place where time is but a concept, reality is bent and will is just waiting to happen. A place where everything is twisted and in it I find peace". Brilliantly expressed in words! You would agree.

For the Love of Hockey

2008-03-11T02:56:00.000-07:00

There are some who argue it is the oldest sport while many nationalities such as the Arabs, Aztec Indians, Greeks, Persians etc seem to have played a similar sort of game involving the stick and the ball centuries ago.

The theories revolving around the origin of field hockey continues to hound the curious but without doubt credit for the modern game goes to the British who introduced it as an alternative for its cricket and soccer players. The game spread rapidly in the 1800s when the British empire was at its height becoming extremely popular in its colonies such as India and Australia.
Bahrain until a decade ago boasted of a very competitive field hockey league that had its origin from a rich past brought about by certain expatriates who were passionate and played the game in a spirit that espoused camaraderie and friendship. These folks kept the game alive and afloat in the country at the time. Looking back at the last decade, it now seemed the last flicker of light glimmering and the passage of time has endorsed this fact.

Whilst football rightfully continues to be the prominent sport here in Bahrain with other sports like tennis, basketball, cricket and athletics chipping in with their bit, field hockey somehow never did get its due as there seemed an inextricable associated paradigm that this was a game of expatriates, the Indians, Pakistanis, British etc.

The responsibility also has to be shared by the promoters of the sport who seem intent on filling their coffers than understanding the true symptoms ailing the sport in countries in the Middle East. Having said that, the closest Middle Eastern country taking interest in the game and promoting it is Egypt who have added the Middle Eastern flavour to the game and seem to grow in stature every year.

The demise of the field hockey league in Bahrain can be attributed to a blend of politics, ego rumblings and power struggle amongst certain expatriate officials running the league, and certain competing teams and players adding to the woes - all who seemed friendly on the exterior but vitriolic behind each other. All the above leading to the Awali Club (playing host to many of the games) closing its doors to the game, inadvertently allowing writing of the games epitaph here in Bahrain.

Field hockey has been in the world sports news recently due to India's shock loss to Britain. The once powerful hockey nation who boasted of players such as hockey wizards Dyan Chand, Mohd Shahid, Claudius etc and winner of eight gold medals at the Olympics had to face the ignominy of not qualifying for the Beijing Olympics for the first time in 80 years. Whilst my heart goes out to India, the player in me salutes the Englishmen for their professionalism which in the coach's words were focus, hard work and discipline for six months preparing into the qualifying tournament.

The Indians on the other hand owe their defeat primarily to the age-old bureaucracy of people at the helm whom I believe cannot differentiate an umbrella from a hockey stick - their dictatorial stance coupled with their selection policies have been the cause of their downfall. Maybe they will learn from it before the London Olympics. As for revival of the game in Bahrain, it's still not the end of the road if the sports ministry and a group of existing players make a concerted effort to resuscitate it. The country will be the beneficiary and add to the 112 member playing countries of the International Hockey Federation.

Those were the days

2008-03-11T02:48:00.001-07:00

Capturing a slice of the past has always been an exciting experience to me, especially if the person narrating it is effusively passionate about the tale. I was fortunate to reminisce Bahrain’s yesteryears with a 78 year old man, someone who seems to exude’ the spirit of a treasured time that seems very close to his heart. Clifford Rebello has a photographic memory of the past that could put any youngster’s remembrance skills to shame – a man ever grateful for Bahrain’s role in his life – a man like many other expatriates who can (but doesn’t) proudly claim his miniscule role in building of this great nation – now ecstatic and overjoyed to see the rapid strides of a progressive Bahrain. A man of few words, he is currently on a brief sojourn from his resident country Canada.

A gold medal topper at his engineering college (Bangalore), in 1959 he left a lucrative job in Bombay to pursue the engineering profession at Bapco, Bahrain - retiring after 40 years of dedicated service making Canada his current home. Married to Ivy an ex English teacher(with three children) at the Government School he is all praise for the people of Bahrain and states ‘they are second to none on the kindness and hospitality front - always there in times of need’. There is a special mention of the royal family for the unstinted support and encouragement. Most importantly, with a gentle nod (that says it all) he expresses a silent sense of gratitude to the Royal family for tolerance of his religion.

My conversation with him apropos Bahrain made me visualize a journey
that revolved around simplicity and values. And watching him narrate it with joy and excitement was like watching a kid talk about his superhero. Bahrain continues to occupy a very special place in his life and he talks about places like the Bapco club, the Bahrain Airport, the Manama Souk etc – one can see his eyes gleam and the contraction of the wrinkles act as a perfect preamble to a story that keeps you glued knowing it has soul and substance.

He recounts his journey by sea in 1959 as a young man when he arrived at the shores of Bahrain. A journey that was filled with anxiety and prayers due to a violent sea storm that would eventually subside, ensuring his safe arrival. He smiles at seeing a buzzing Diplomatic area that at the time was the sea where he would come to bide his Fridays with a few friends. Today seeing the dearth of cars on the road and being stuck in the traffic makes him nostalgic of the never ending long walks to the old market.

As for the recent cold weather, he takes you to the year 1963 when Bahrain was hit by a freak cold weather and putting it in his words ‘one could virtually see icicles kissing the window sill’. He categorically states ‘this was the time when heaters were yet to make its mark’. Paradoxically, he recounts the time in 1960 during the hot summer months when AC’s were unheard of, he and a few of friends would sprinkle water on the terrace floor to keep themselves cool. An example that made me think how pampered we are if we miss the basic necessities for a day. A god fearing man, he also talks about the universal bane ‘corruption’ (which unfortunately is still prevalent) informing me about the time he was offered money in gift form to pass a contract at his company which he flatly refused.

His bag of stories somehow never seem to end and like many others he is ‘gratitude personified’ for the memorable experiences in the country. Whilst pondering over the conversation with him and driving home the other day, an old classic by Mary Hopkins caught my attention – “Those were the days my friend, I thought they’d never end, we’d sing and dance forever….”. It resonated seamlessly with his thoughts . Maybe he’d sing and dance about it, all for Bahrain.

Thinking Corporate Communications

2008-02-05T07:29:00.000-08:00

A recent conversation with a corporate communications head honcho pertaining to the challenges of message delivery made me recall an act from a speaker many moons ago at a professional workshop in Canada. He collected 5 table tennis balls in his hands -summoning 5 people from the audience (4 feet away) he threw the balls in their direction without priming them. Of the 5 two held it, the rest missed it. Point made clearly - agility, focus, medium, delivery and attention. The example resonated fittingly with my friend’s story. Today, corporate communications personnel face the tedious and toughest job of creating and delivering the relevant message to internal and external audiences- no matter what they do, some people will get the message and some simply won’t or don’t.

The subject got me thinking on the Corporate Communications role which continues to be a constant challenge specially in a world inundated with a tsunami of messages from every nook and corner, differentiating the message has become strenuous and complex. The new diktat of a changing business world indubitably demands lateral thinking from corporate communication departments. Furthermore the pressure of techno-savvy communication mediums brought about by the internet and intranets - the ever growing world of blogging, podcasting, vodcasting, social networking etc make the job even more challenging. Message delivery is now quicker by the second in comparison to its beginnings i.e. beating drums, flying doves etc. The world has reached another dimension on the communication front, it will only get faster and better.

Having said that the role of Corporate Communications is not only related to fronting, purchasing or negotiating with the relevant media and supplier, issuing newsletters or overseeing PR releases but it also includes creating an integrated high quality pro-active communications department that treats communication as a constant dialogue than a monologue, it involves keeping tab of the latest industry trends and being in sync with the pulse of the audience. Most importantly it includes overseeing the alignment of the organization’s communications with its ideals and vision (if there is any). As the title suggests, speaking writing and briefing others is a pre-requisite, handling pressure situations and contributing ideas to high level strategic meetings and discussions is a must. All said and done, buy-in and endorsement from the man at the top is clearly axiomatic in the process.

The region boasts of many corporate communication specialists, some mere pawn’s in the existing state of organizational affairs - being made mechanical messengers rather than intellectual messengers who can contribute to the process with innovative ideas and solutions. That is not to say each one of them is an intellectual reservoir, some may not even boast of a resume from the industry which also shows the significance attached to the department and its role. A recent article I read pointed out that some top corporate communication professionals confess they are ‘Gatekeepers’ and realize it is not conducive for future survival, they believe the role of ‘Gatekeeper’ will have to change to the role of ‘Gateway’ for future success.

Without doubt the Corporate Communications department is the most significant if not pivotal department in an organization. Giving it step- motherly or a back-seat treatment will only be the downfall of any organization resorting to such tactics. Influencing positive perception (positive image) vis a vis the right media by a good Corporate Communicator will not only add value but positively impact the ‘sought out returns’ both functionally and emotionally. A simple fact yet to sink in many corporations psyche. They need to hurriedly wake up and smell the coffee, before it is too late.

What I wish you in the coming year

2007-12-29T23:54:00.000-08:00

It would be right to say that before one could take delight in the year 2007 that was to be, it seemed to have passed us by like a bolt of lightening and we are gearing up to herald the beginning of another year. As always, some will look at the coming year with resolutions, objectives, wishes to be realized and fulfilled, others will accept it as just another year with all its unseen complexities and mundane happenings. Having said that wishes for the New Year will be exchanged – wishes that have become the most repeated form of felicitations, universally followed. However, I am of the opinion that somehow the greetings seem dutifully formal, if there is no substance added to it. So as we move into the next year with all its unexpected happenings, here is what I wish for you in 2008.

That you start your days with a smile and you continue to keep your sense of humour in-spite of the disappointments that may be clouding your mind -learning to accept the inevitable graciously. Hoping you laugh a lot and cry a little.

That your life at home be happy, cheerful and stress free and your relationship with your spouse or sibling grow to be stronger with every passing day - you continue to accept each other’s weaknesses and strengths in a amiable manner.

That your work life be self fulfilling and you continue to go the extra mile in the profession you are in, but with a firm eye that you are not being taken advantage of - see that you receive a square deal.

That you continue to enhance your talent and build up your confidence levels in whatever you do, remember it is all about being self reliant, smart and aware, if you understand this fact, money will inevitably follow.

That your expenditure in whatever you do never outstrip what you earn and you learn to carefully manage cautiously that thing in your wallet called the credit card. In-fact refrain from using it.

That you understand that your physical well being is important and a healthy body is one of the most important ingredients of the ‘elusive’ word (to many) called happiness. Discipline yourself with the food you eat and exercise a lot.

That you continue feeding on moral values whilst resolutely injecting it in your kids, as we continue to live in a world too consumed in material needs, a world losing its focus on the values instilled by our respective parents.

That you continue to be at peace with your conscience, cause whether you like it or not, it will catch up with you before you leave this earth
.
That you understand that the foundation of a relationship centers around giving and receiving, the more you give the more you will receive. Let each day’s descending sun see some worthy action done by you whether at home, work or the community.

That you continue to add to your knowledge base by reading and studying anything you deem important - understand the importance of stimulating your mind, for it is in thinking that we gain our source of power and wisdom

That you continue to be friendly, adding friends to your network and may they continue to add to your bag of joy through their constant companionship, unwavering loyalty and unconditional understanding.

That no matter what religion we believe in or follow remember we are all the same – pray that we shed our hatred for one another and work assiduously towards terminating the intent being spread by the devils of peace.

That when the year is done, you can look back on it and say “ Indeed, this was one of the best years of my life”. Have a fun-filled, joyful and peaceful 2008. God Bless You !.

The Commercialization of Christmas

2007-12-05T05:07:00.000-08:00

An awe-inspiring tango of colours and lights this time of the year can be viewed from Oxford street in London to Times square in New York, from Yonge Street in Toronto to Hill Road in Mumbai and the scenes are very akin - the resplendent streets shine with delight and pride, showcasing its make-up consisting of beautiful buntings, multihued illuminations and artistic decorations –window dressers displaying their best work by skillfully weaving the ingredients of the festive spirit and retailers astutely adding value to the mystical aura of Christmas.

As a kid the occasion has been very special and ‘kind of magical’ to me – mum’s sweets, the carols, the christmas tree, mistletoes, santaclaus, angels, cookies, the gifts, dancing etc but as years devour me and wise-ness reigns in (as it happens with age), I question the evolvement of this abhorrent consumerism, the commercialization of Christmas. Whilst not wanting this piece to sound like another ‘cliché’ sermon one often hears, my query comes straight from my heart as it has been a big bother over the years.

Christmas without doubt has become big business and marketers have done a super job of positioning and marketing the festival to the layman. The ‘exchange of gifts’ (in the name of sharing) being one of the many features, gleefully embellished and cherished by retail houses and advertisers. ‘Gift giving’ has been very shrewdly marketed and now adorns the common man’s mind as an obligatory gesture - there is no doubt that as kids we loved receiving gifts and as adults we take the opportunity to alleviate our guilt by fulfilling the needs of our kids and our dear ones - ignorantly playing into the hands of the advertisers. On the subject, I have been first hand witness to a Canadian friend of mine caught in this predicament of ‘gift giving’ to his big family, the result, he was left paying off his credit card bills for the next 6 months.

As human beings, we love to shop and Christmas has been marketed as a perfect platform to fulfill that desire by commercial spin doctors seeking their profits. An ad campaign during the festival some years ago endorsed it perfectly, headlined “I shop therefore I am” – (a take off on a Descartes quote “I think therefore I am”) – in a snapshot summing up the current perspective of Christmas. We have opportunely commercialized the occasion bowing to the charm of corporate and retail houses who are happily raking in the millions.

Whilst one would argue there’s nothing wrong in making the splash and magnifying such a joyful occasion and I can agree to an extent, but it does make me query the balance between the materialistic Christmas and the spiritual one. Having lived in the west, I can categorically state that the material side of Christmas has won hands down over the spiritual side. The unfortunate part is that this is now becoming a world trend. Over the years, I have seen people (especially females) going berserk in an ‘outfit buying spree’ for the occasion. I have witnessed people fighting over the last toy in the department store. I have heard stories of people scrambling for space in the bitter cold on Boxing day specials. All making me wonder is this the actual meaning of the occasion.

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and revolves around the nativity story (circumstances surrounding the birth). Jesus was born in a manger and the birth itself was a message to the world about sacrifice, humility, care, love and understanding. The sad truth in recent times is Jesus and his ideologies have been conveniently relegated to the backbenches, all in the name of celebrations. His teachings of love and brotherhood somehow does not resonate in today’s ‘dollar and cents’ world. We continue to commercialize Christmas in many cities, making it a billion dollar business.

Christmas is a time for giving, a time for sharing your rewards with those are underprivileged and unfortunate, a time for reflection at your inner self. Whilst we can enjoy and revel in the festive spirit, we should spare a thought, a prayer and maybe a donation for the unfortunate ones – the poor who don’t know where their next meal will be coming from, the seniors who have no one to talk to, the children and the people in the war zones getting ready to shelter themselves from the next bomb and many others. This in essence has always been the message of the blessed baby born in the manger. Let us not lose sight of the real meaning.

Payback your Parents with “Interest”

2007-10-28T02:25:00.000-07:00

A very close friend of mine recently informed he was flying down to his home country to take care of his father in hospital, suffering from a terminal illness. I was touched by this gesture more so, as this friend of mine is a high flying executive who’s calendar schedule could easily outdo even the president of the united states. But he put everything aside making time for his father inspite of a somewhat fatherless childhood (for reasons best known to them) and as I write this piece, he is currently personally tendering aid to him. I am sure his name will always be high up there when the choicest of blessings are being distributed by the almighty.

And then there are those, who are so consumed in the quest of ‘raking in the moolah’ that when it mattered most by just being there for their parents, they somehow are bitten by the amnesia or the ‘no time’ bug.

Recently, a doctor friend of mine from a very reputed hospital here in Bahrain was complaining that there are some who treat their parents like their home pets leaving them in the kennel against their wishes whilst they go out holidaying. Except in this case the kennel is the hospital. They leave their old parents with some concocted excuse of an ailment, so they can be admitted for a few weeks at no extra costs – thanks to the insurance schemes that some ministries and top companies enjoy. These parents are heartbroken and often hide their tears, but toe the line as they have no choice. Ironically, these parents may have sacrificed their holidays in the past to make these children see a better today. It is often true that the vagaries of life and old age put these parents inevitably in the liability column of the children’s balance sheet of life - they are tendered useless in their old age, if they are incapable of doing anything at home.

There’s an old saying “god couldn’t be there for us on Earth so he gave us our parents”. In today’s chaotic world, children need to be constantly reminded that respect for your elders and honour for one’s father and mother is a sine qua non in the moral excellence sheet of ones life. And young Parents should lead the way by showing the way firsthand with their father and mother, so that children pick up on these significant and important cues.

The fact is we all have to leave this earth one day, and sure, we all would like to go happy and content that the job is done. The same is with our parents and they deserve to be venerated even if that means putting them on the pedestal in the truest sense, that goes for even those who have not fulfilled their role as good parents. . Every Parent is categorically entitled to reimbursement for their efforts and should be paid with interest (intended pun), both morally and financially, which in today’s ‘dog eat dog’ world is simply not the case.

The commandment “Honour your father and mother at all times” seems to be conveniently put on the backburner in our day to day lives. It is therefore important, in the rough and stormy seas of materialism and consumerism, we should all make it our prerogative to see ourselves as lifeguards, protecting this universally accepted commandment from drowning. I firmly believe it is more than chicken soup for the soul.

Having said that, in the final analysis, more than money and words it is our good actions by being there that matters most to our Parents. I guess my friend is a living example, more than anything he has his father’s blessing’s which will always hold him in good stead in days to come.

The "Yes Men" Syndrome

2007-08-09T00:41:00.001-07:00

“They are like termites silently but ravenously eating into the fabric of the organization and their existence is an immeasurable hindrance to growth”, bitter words retorted by a friend of mine, in disgust. The reason being an incident where two of his senior colleagues who ardently approved his presentation being made to the top man but later playing truant, feigning ignorance of the content - upon seeing the top man negating it, pointing fingers at the friend in question. He was shocked and at loss of words, more so at the unprincipled manner of how they retracted their wholehearted support, after complementing him for his work.

This unfortunate case is the story of many a professional in the region subjected unknowingly to the corporate ‘cesspool of yes men or yes women’. In many ways I liken these ‘Yes Folks’ to the docile ‘Cow’ in the mobile circus back home who would shake his head at the master’s command to acknowledge ‘Yes’ if the child would pass in his exams or if the incumbent family member would win the lottery ticket. It’s a different story that the lottery ticket prediction had its momentary joy which never ever gathered momentum. But it can be said that the poor Cow was genuinely docile with no malicious intent like these folks.

The ‘Yes’ syndrome permeates every strata of an organization and whilst one understands the reasons of a peon resorting to it at the lower level, it boggles the mind when people at the higher echelons don the mantle. So what are the characteristics of these so called ‘Yes folks’?
For starters, they simply don’t have a conscience -if the boss declares ‘the sun has risen in the west’, they categorically agree. Their ‘survival skills’ are legendary, they are inventors of the glue that not only solidifies positions but influences promotions and pay-hikes speedily. Most of them belong to the ‘old and traditional thinking’ school oblivious to the latest trends of the changing world. They are the quintessential master of office politics playing it with such panache that could leave one severely wounded without even knowing what hit them. Most of them have no self respect, a fact stemming from an inborn insecurity or low self esteem or from the blind obsession of raking in the moolah. For all of the above, no one will disagree they are overwhelming in waxing eloquence at the word ‘YES’ in front of the boss.

Ironically, some are high end executives from prestigious educational institutions discreetly running their personal agenda parallel with the corporation’s agenda. In this regard, they heartlessly trample or steamroll anyone who is considered an obstacle in their way. Sadly, in this battle, the corporation (or a bright professional in many cases) is the sufferer and many a time ideas that are revolutionary get thrown out of the window by these folks, for their own selfish reasons and survival. The culprit in this case is of-course the decision maker (the top man) who is blinded by the obsequious and loyal behavior of the respective ‘Yes’ club member paying no heed to the parallel agenda and mostly basking in the glory of hearing news they want to, without examining the facts. I must admit in recent times, there have been some decision makers who have been savvy enough to implement effective systems, some like the appraisal process for both employees and management – one appraising the other and the top man finally reviewing it. This has proved to be quite successful in pin-pointing inadequacies whilst bringing the so called ‘Yes folks’ closely under the scanner.

I vividly remember this beautiful advertisement run by ‘Tata Steel’ years ago in India. It seemed a great ad then, relevant even today - food for thought pertinent to everyone. It said “The New Industrial Agreement of Culture Infusion – the easiest thing is to agree with your boss, with colleagues and a general opinion. But are you being fair to your conscience, to your company?. The company is not paying you for your ability to say YES. You have a mind of your own and you can say NO, say no to mediocrity, no to the commonplace, no to the status quo, it is a big word and has led to the world’s greatest discoveries, it could be a profitable change within your company”. I believe it is worth giving it a try if you have not, but provided it is backed up by a logical and a sound rationale. Doesn’t matter if it is shot down, which is bound to happen, in most cases. You have been true to your conscience and your God !

Maid for each other ?

2007-08-09T00:36:00.000-07:00

The recent spate of articles, letters in the Gulf Daily News - Bahrain and a recent discussion at a gathering made me pen some thoughts on this vital topic of Maid Servants, Nannies, etc. The subject gathers further momentum when one reads the harsh treatment meted out to these people, who many forget, are human species, made like you and me – there are those who go beyond the depths of human depravity in treating these people. Some incidents vis-a-vis the treatment have been so appalling and unspeakable, it makes you wonder ‘how can people stoop so low in treating a fellow human being’. I believe it has to do with the upbringing of the individual and basic lack of education. That’s not to say that educated people are ‘virtuous’ when it comes to treating these folks. They could be even worse.

Having said that, it is not always a ‘battered one-sided maid story’ - a flip to the other side, reveals also the devious and overbearing attitude of some maid servants that have left some decent folks shaken. Case in point, when a five year old was repeatedly subject to visible body marks, which seemed mysterious to the hapless parents. It took some high-end detective work to expose the maid - caught red handed, beating the innocent child or when a maid suffering from a deep sense of insecurity or psychological inadequacy would wake up the child in the middle of the night and send the kid to the parents bedroom for reasons best known to her. Both these real life incidents narrated by close friends of mine certainly puts forward the question Maid - for each other ?

Having a maid is a necessity for career oriented parents where the child has to be taken care of. These parents virtually have no choice and are at the mercy of the respective maid, where trust becomes mandatory. These days, I am told getting the right maid is more than exasperating, it is like searching for the ‘right surgeon who will perform that all important heart operation of yours’. The intuitive guess during maid interviews doesn’t always work, like my sister in Dubai who went through surgical selection recently, only to be caught in the quagmire of maid tantrums.

On another note, I have still not figured out all the fuss made by a selected few when a maid is away, especially when they have all the time at home. They swear it is like ‘Armageddon, D-Day’ – very difficult for me to digest. Ironically, these people are a different breed when they set foot on Western or European shores - they get down to doing all the work without a whimper, clearly pointing out that when ‘push comes to shove’ the adaptability genes automatically set in motion.

It is no secret that most of us living here (locals and expatriates) are spoilt. I remember a good friend of mine and a daughter of a highly placed dignitary here in Bahrain telling me the difference between living in the US and living in Bahrain. She said, I quote “ Here in Bahrain, I really don’t know when I have run out of petrol (gas), because every morning I wake up to a full tank filled by my domestic worker – something I find hard to digest, after living in the US for 7 years” She definitely belongs to the selected few but the point is clear, most of us like her, are pampered in many ways. A fact seldom realized.

In the Western world or even in Europe the services of a maid, nannie, butler is a luxury few can afford. The strict laws in these countries also influence the relationship between the two whereby both parties clearly understand the blueprint of the agreement – something which lacks here due to the poverty and illiteracy factor of the hired maids and the age old master/slave paradigm which some folks simply haven’t forgotten, making them ‘Gods without a conscience’. Hopefully, this will all change in the Bahrain of tomorrow.

Talking Brands

2007-06-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

The ‘Brand’ onslaught on the human mind takes place as soon as man sets foot into the world - even before words are uttered, we are bombarded with names, symbols, marks, experiences, rituals, etc - some brands stick till the grave beckons whilst the others sink into oblivion. Having said that, a true Brand creates docile followers and strives to be honest to its promise – in the process conjuring an enchanting and enduring association (s). As a kid the mystical and unexplained feeling of obtaining a chocolate from Cadbury’s was both captivating and thrilling and created a brand aura difficult to describe. I still remember the smell associated with muffins from the local neighborhood Tom’s Bakery, till date it brings back moments of anxious waiting and ready smiles. Certain brands have a deep-rooted positive or negative effect on the subconscious triggering our decision in accepting or rejecting it. Undoubtedly, every one of us has associations with one brand or another. As for me, I simply have an innate passion of collecting anything and everything I read about brands, their success, their failures and their comeback stories.

From a current perspective, the crown for the world’s leading brand rightfully goes to Google, who has displaced giants like Coca Cola and Microsoft for the top spot. The success of Google lies in its simplicity, user friendliness and its constant innovativeness. Apple continues to impress with its style and design based approach, the recent dropping of the “computers’ from its name is a strategic move to venture into other playing fields. Starbucks at an early stage understood the fact that they were in people business (experiential) rather than the coffee business. However, Starbucks the brand is in urgent need of self introspection for sustainability sake. Its recent forays into opening stores in every corner of the world has diluted the founding ideals of what the brand has stood for – a fact admitted by its CEO Howard Schultz in his recent memo to the staff. Virgin continues to be an enigmatic case study in business schools because of its street origins and radical ideas engineered by its rebellious founder and genius Richard Branson. On the personal branding front, Brand Madonna may have lost that zing of the 80’s but continues to reinvent and position herself in line with the times i.e from a sex symbol to a religious person to a writer of kids stories. In her case, age has pushed her a little behind in the queue for the limelight, but she still leads on the number of hits on Google ahead of Britney spears and Christina Aguilera.

The classic brand rule of being first in a category doesn’t necessarily guarantee success if its not done right. Case in point, being Dr Langley vs the Wright Brothers, not many remember the talented Dr Samuel Langley was engaged in a fierce battle to conquer the skies with his flying invention. In-fact Dr Langley was the first to fly his aircraft much before the Wright brothers. The fact that it was a disaster proved to be his downfall. In contrast the Wright brothers who were in the race 8 days later did everything right in launch of their aircraft to go down in history as the original masters of the sky. Probably the brothers may have read Aesop’s hare and the tortoise but one thing is for sure they did their branding homework to perfection.

As for brand comebacks, Mcdonald’s stands out from the rest of blue chip names which includes Exxon, Tylenol, Martha Stewart etc, these brands defied the pundits of the brand world and re-establised their lost position. Mcdonald’s had to face the ire of the public on child obesity and the health issues documented through Morgan Stanlock’s movie ‘Super Size me”. Mcdonald’s stood their ground with excellent PR whilst astutely adding health options to their menu, their recent foray into tieing up with Shrek 3 is another of their brand fortification strategies on the health front.

From a Middle Eastern perspective, Brand Al Jazeera continues to be the most influential and known brand in the international circuit. Al Jazeera with its slick and trustworthy coverage won the hearts of many after the 9/11 tragedy. The recent enhancement of its content, look feel and tone is to keep in line with the dynamics of the changing world whilst giving a run for channels like CNN and FOX.

It should be noted that a Brand without the backing and a hands on approach from the CEO or the Founder is a recipe for disaster. Brands ride the success wagon when the man at the top keeps a close eye on its functional and emotional characteristics. Unfortunately, many CEO’s do not understand this fact.

In final analysis, it is all about delivering a ‘set of promises’ differentiating it whether in design, value, price, convenience, style, innovation etc. It is about focus, Fedex owns the word ‘overnight’, and UPS owns ‘Brown”. It is about category building ‘Apple – Ipod’. It is about understanding the significance of the brand journey and foreseeing the bumps ahead. It is also about making an extra effort in building and constantly fine tuning your value base to appeal to the five senses. One should remember, ‘Brands power our lives’ and like it or not we are all obsequious victims to their rule. Think about it, the last time you bought your watch or your car the reason you probably dug deep into your pocket was because the brand stood for something that defined the person you are. That sums up the power certain brands have over us.

Lessons from the Bamboo Tree

2007-06-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

I remember attending Zig Ziglar’s (the world famous motivational expert) business seminar some years ago where he told the incredible, but true, story of the chinese bamboo tree. It was one of the few anecdotes that blossomed in the otherwise barren garden of my thinking mind. The process goes like this: You take a little seed, plant it, water it, and fertilize it for a whole year and nothing happens. The second year you water it and fertilize it, nothing happens. The third year too nothing happens. How discouraging this becomes! The fifth year however a change is noticed, the bamboo tree sprouts and grows taller than 50 feet. A classic lesson in Patience and Determination.

Another example is part of an interesting tale I remember, as a kid,. An eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent a sentence, to be ever in view, which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. One of the wise men, sitting next to a river thinking of the assignment caught sight of the bamboo tree and was amazed at its existence, seeing it withstand the tremendous pressure of winds and realized even the harshest of climates didn’t deter it – bending to the fullest, but gracefully returning to its original position after the winds had stopped. The words he came up were 'And this, too, shall pass away.' The monarch loved it. The story left a strong impact on my young mind. The lesson was clear, being Calm and Resilient in the midst of life’s surprising storms.

Lastly, it was some days ago, I sat in front of the television listening to a sweet and enchanting melody by a top Indian flutist – the music blew me away for its mellifluous harmony, then it occurred to me, this instrument is an offshoot of the bamboo plant that goes through a rigorous process of being cut, sawed and hammered for the formation of a flute and rendering by an expert for its beautiful harmony. The lesson I learnt was Pain and hardships are just a temporary phase.

It doesn’t surprise me that Feng Shui and Vaastu experts consider the bamboo plant a sign of good health and prosperity. The plant epitomizes durability and is a fair symbol of endurance, something which some of us humans should pick on in this journey of life.
It was Earl Grant who spiritedly sang the classic ‘House of Bamboo’. I have taken the liberty to edit the last verse which goes like this “I'm telling you when you're down and blue, sit back relax and take a cue from the bamboo”. Not a bad idea, taking lessons from someone who is not human for a change. Right !

Cricket, the Aussie Way

2007-04-04T03:58:00.000-07:00

The recent exit of sub continent teams like India and Pakistan from the Cricket World Cup at the Caribbean continue to make tongues wag endlessly with daggers beings drawn on, who should stay and who should go for the disastrous performance. This is a typical sub-continental reaction - start the finger pointing game than understand the root cause of the problem.

The panacea for the problem I believe is the Australian Cricket model. Love them or hate them, the Australians grit, determination and professionalism on the field cannot be ignored. If you are a die hard cricket fan, watching them crush the opposition with ease is pure poetry in motion, How do the Australians achieve their superiority ? What makes them tick? How do they continuously do it? Whilst there is no off the shelf formula for their success – a conclusion can be drawn that. “there is an inherent belief by every single member - a ‘sense of purpose’ or “responsibility” that acts as the source - the fuel to fire up the team once they take the field.

Having said that, the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) is run akin to a Corporation like Microsoft or Coca Cola with the sole purpose of being the best in the business. Now one might argue so is the BCCI and the PCB (Indian and Pakistani Boards respectively). However, unlike the politics in these countries where the selection committee is obligated to their respective zones and the monetary benefits, the ACB is a think tank neutral and honest to the cause hammering the words “every person is equally responsible and accountable for the team success – you perform, you are in, you don’t you are shown the door ”. Brand ACB has a :

Mission statement “ To defend and promote the values of Cricket, ensure that Australian teams excel on the field and be a formidable and successful competitor in the sport and entertainment industries”. However, whilst all these words look good on paper, it is no doubt that the Aussies have a much deeper than purpose “Annihilate the opposition” seems apt and synonymous with their hidden purpose- an image of the ruthless, aggressive and competitive Australian on the field

Their core values include
Competitiveness – Whether watching Mcgrath’s reaction to being smashed to the boundary or remembering Steve Waugh’s famous words when dropped by Gibbs in the crucial 1999 qualifying game “Son you just dropped the world cup”, the fierce streak of competitiveness in every team member cannot be ignored even if it is viewed as sledging or an intimidatory tactic .

Teamwork and Personal ego –. There is no reliance on an individual like a Tendulkar or a Lara. Everyone has a duty to perform. Ask Mark Taylor who declared his mammoth 334 not out, when he could easily have beaten Bradman’s world record but to him the team victory came first.

Analyzing the talent and putting their faith in those selected.
A cliché often heard is that the ACB picks a team and then a captain is selected. This is exactly the opposite of what happens in India, Pakistan or England where the captain is picked first.
The Aussies believe in “Helper or Servant Leadership” by this it means one who leads by example, appreciated by all his co-members from the bottom of their hearts.

Encouraging New Ideas and Constant Innovation
Look at the one day team and the test team. Different players fill in the slots for both consistently. This rotational policy helps keep players fresh and sends a clear message that no one is indispensable. Instead of the overall match victory their main focus is to win each session of the match.

Long Term Planning
A very different strategy is set out for school, club and state teams each put under the microscope for future effectiveness. They have former cricket captains like Ian Chappell to lecture 10 year olds on the art of captaincy and how to even handle the media. The way things are at the moment, their A team would give a run to any world eleven.

Remuneration
Furthermore the players remuneration in the form of a new pay scheme devised by the ACB makes it a performance based packet No one is complaining. And deservedly so!

Cricket in the final analysis is indeed a mind game and teams like India and Pakistan may have die hard fans genuflecting in front of their personal gods as to what went wrong, but the fact lies that there is an immediate need for an overhaul of the system in these countries. No one can take away the fact that the Aussies are clearly miles above the rest in the game with the passion, enthusiasm and the never die spirit evident for all to see.

It is said a victory anywhere begins with the mind thinking the goal is possible. Cricket is no different and the Australians have carved a niche in their application of this thought. Winning two world cups and looking favorably at the third -, whether they win the world cup or not, they are the best in the business, let us all salute them in the true spirit for being the true champions of the game. They deserve it.

Know the Real 'YOU'

2007-04-04T03:57:00.000-07:00

Very rarely do we take the time to understand ourselves. Here’s something that might help you in this process.

Recently in South East Asia, a poor labourer working in a factory stole a hammer to pay for his daughter’s kidney operation. The girl was suffering from a life threatening illness and needed immediate treatment. Being the father, the sole breadwinner, he resorted to stealing as he felt he had no other choice of acquiring the money. He was caught red-handed by the owners and subjected to severe torture whilst his wife was physically humiliated. The perpetrators were later arrested. Coming back to the thief and his act whilst one doesn’t condone it, one queries the intent of such an action ‘does the theft of the hammer outweigh the virtue of his motive’ i.e the life saving operation for his kid. The questions to be asked is - How will you as a person judge the man for the robbery ? How will the almighty judge him ? How will society judge him ?

Issues like these in my humble view is ‘food for thought’ for a curious mind. It would be fair to say questions like these take a convenient backseat in the mind sphere because in the big picture scenario it is not important and doesn’t involve us, so why bother ?. However, I believe putting it under the mind microscope is good stimulation, as it questions the wisest amongst us of the view to be taken and define our true selves. Answering such questions in a sincere manner will tell you the type of person you are. Listed below are some more examples - take the test and see for yourself.

You are the owner of a company that sticks to its strong and firm principles of ethics and morality. You live and breathe honesty and do everything to inculcate the ideals in all your employees. Your new General Manager walks in and wins you a 10 million dollar account / contract but the manner in which he wins it is against your ideals. He astutely resorts to every trick in the corruption book by bribing the decision making contract team (this is a universal problem and also sadly prevalent here in Bahrain) i.e supplying the male folks immoral women, buying everyone very expensive gifts and air-tickets to their favourite holiday destinations etc. What would your decision as an owner be Would you accept the 10 million dollar contract by awarding the man a bonus ? Would you sack the man immediately ? Would you simply look the other way as it doesn’t involve you as a person? (Remember 10 million dollars is a lot of money).

The third one - You meet a long lost friend of yours in high school who now is very successful in his career and life. The friend a middleclass boy was one of those students who never attended a class, was never considered bright, was always out philandering, playing pranks, getting into fights etc. You meet him after all these years, he is a changed man who has found bliss in his religion - just the opposite of the man you knew. He drives to meet you in his Bentley and you find out in conversation he is on his way to head a billion dollar empire. Do you go green with envy since you drive a beaten up car and always felt you were up there on the success ladder amongst your schoolmates? Do you question the possibility that he got there by dubious means ? Do you admit that the man’s hard work and diligence got him there?

The last one – You are swimming in the pool of financial misery - desperate to pay off your ever mounting debts. You accompany friends to a Jewellery exhibition and happen to find a very expensive diamond necklace on the floor which no one has noticed. Do you slowly pocket it without anyone noticing? Do you walk towards the ‘lost and found’ counter and report your findings. Do you believe this is divine intervention to your problems?

Sit back, relax and answer the above questions in an honest manner for when you look into the mirror of life, it would truly reflect the individual you are. On second thoughts if you believe there is a judgment day these answers might well be your revision of sorts for the test ahead.

Rest assured, you will definitely have an answer to these questions .What you stand for? What you stand against? What are your true values ? .
Clue – Answers at the back of yourn mind

Leave Jesus Alone

2007-04-04T03:56:00.000-07:00

In a world where hunger, famine, wars are still rampant and global warming along with other diseases promise to wipe out the human race, people are still delving into a past which is tastefully controversial and makes very interesting reading. Hollywood writers and filmmakers who are undoubtedly masters of adding the right spice to the reading and viewing dish seem to be riding happily on this new trend of unearthing the mysteries of religion if not showing certain races in a bad light (the movie 300 depicting Persians as monsters is ridiculous). Of-course it is no secret that the ultimate objectives in this mix is the guaranteed huge commercial rewards necessitating utmost care to weave the right ingredients into the plot, making the viewer think and rethink.

I have nothing against James Cameron and his team on the recent discovery of finding Jesus’ coffin etc. I do believe the man is a genius amongst movie makers but I also believe this is another cheap attempt at making the cash registers go dancing. He might have the backing of certain scientists, archeologists etc but then again there are professionals who are ever-ready to give an intellectual and rational view on any subject if it makes them famous and most importantly fills their pockets. As for archeology in recent times someone rightly put it “Before, archeology was used to do politics. Now archeology is just to do money." On the story whilst I would like to reserve my final judgment and opinion until I see the 4 million dollar documentary film, the one question I would like answered right now is ‘how a family from Galilee would have ended up being buried in Jerusalem’

As human beings we are all curious to know the unknown and more-so if it involves the absolute being we believe in. Of-course some of us are very protective about our respective religions (rightly so) ready to take on the world to defend it. But let’s also face it, if the controversy does not involve our religion we are the first to voice our vociferous opinion on the subject no matter how logical or illogical it is. I remember meeting a Persian friend of mine seemed convinced that the Da Vinci code was real. I smiled and avoided the conversation as I didn’t think the place and time was right for the topic. The man had seen the movie and read a few pieces before making up his mind. Nothing wrong with it but he didn’t see the other side of the story which I had done my share of research. I could debate but I didn’t because I believe religion is a personal subject and we are all entitled to our views on it provided it is kept within the confines of ones own being.

However what irked me was my friend didn’t comprehend and never talked about was the huge monetary returns that a shrewd Dan Brown along with the producers of Da Vinci Code was taking. He was happily laughing his way to the bank. by craftily weaving a story with the just right mix on a controversial subject that has dollars written over it.

Let us not forget the world today is torn up into fragment views of race and religions not forgetting the degraded moral values. It is plagued by materialism and divisiveness. Against this backdrop, I believe instead of focusing our energies on Jesus’s tomb, his personal life etc, the need of the hour demands radiating the core tenets of his teachings i.e Love, Peace, Tolerance, Non Violence ets in a world thirsting for it. But then again, this is a mundane topic which doesn’t have ‘big dollars’ written all over it. Right all you Big Executives of Hollywood ?

What the hell !

2007-04-04T03:54:00.000-07:00

Just the other day my four year old son Ethan put the question that kids at his age usually do “What happens when we die ?” I responded in the manner most parents would “If you have been a good boy, you go to heaven - if you are bad, you go to hell”. Then came the question “What is hell like daddy” I responded giving him a stark depiction of what hell is, then it got me thinking if Messrs Bush and Co could have their way, we won’t have to die to go to hell, staying at home would be enough or a plane ticket would be the necessary requirement, Naturally, I didn’t mention this to my son cause he is too young to understand this fact.

On the subject of Hell and its keepers, every religion and culture have heir own take on it . In-fact the Chinese tradition holds that the gates of hell open in the seventh month of the lunar year for the ghost festival, it is believed that the ghosts are released on parole to roam the earth. Like all tourists these ghosts are treated to food and entertainment. Even ‘hell money’ is offered to appease the spirits. The belief here is that if the ghosts are not treated well, they might create problems. This festival is celebrated every year for the vacationing tourist ghosts.

Which brings me to this funny anecdote “A man mistakenly dies and goes to hell and is astounded by the celebrations and the party atmosphere in hell, only to be told he has to return to earth for he was the wrong one selected. He certainly leaves hell mesmerized by the happenings and hopes to return soon, he dies after ten years and goes to hell only to find it as miserable as it can be. Stopping the devil on his tracks, he asks “what’s happening” to which the devil replies “That my friend was our advertisement for tourists, you are now a citizen”.

The word ‘Hell’ has been somewhat a favourite with rock groups, the famous rock group Eagles created history with their reunion album ‘Hell freezes over’ named after a comment by the lead singer ‘they would unite after hell freezes over’. Chris Rea with his baritone voice added his touch by singing “Road to hell” whilst AC/DC had their big hit in “Highway to hell” which brings me to the cause of consternation amongst religious groups, that rock is evil and these are hell’s ballads. I do believe that this is taking it too far. Music is universal and cognitive in its language. However, let’s not overlook the fact that certain rock groups have gone overboard with their stage acts and videos which does have a negative impact on young minds looking for some kind of escapism from everyday life.

We have often heard ‘What the hell’ ‘hell knows’ etc used in a colloquial manner. The great Churchill was honest to opine “If Hitler invaded hell, he would make a favourable reference to the devil in the house”. Churchill was also subject to hearing the words “To hell with Churchill’s speech”. This happened whilst on his way to the BBC to deliver a speech. He approached a hurried looking taxi driver who did not recognize him and excused himself wanting to carry on to the other side of London. He changed his mind uttering those words after he was offered a pound by Churchill, big money in those days.

The great Shelley thought “Hell is like London a populous and smoky city (guess shelley would have changed his mind after seeing current Iraq)”. But the one who really got me with his assessment of hell was Aldous Huxley “Maybe this world is another planet’s hell”. Going by what some leading world politicians are doing, I don’t think that planet’s denizens will have a problem finding the Lucifers here. It will be easy pickings. Hell knows, maybe I am right.

This Crazy Little Thing Called Love

2007-02-16T02:05:00.000-08:00

Freddie Mercury called it ‘A crazy little thing’ whilst the Everly brothers emphatically said it ‘hurts’. One would have to agree both were spot on with their assessment of the word called ‘Love’, a word that has over the years flummoxed poets, philosophers, painters, writers and singers - all understandably assessing it in their own way. Their interpretations hover around words like mystical, complex, heavenly, gloomy, a moment of transcendence etc which have filled and continue to fill books in library shelves the world over. Books aside, it is my belief if Cupid was asked ‘how the world today has lived up to the word’ he would be at a huge loss of words.

Science and religion have been our constant guide in understanding love to some extent, but the leaning of the meaning (by many people) has been towards the hollywood myth of physical beauty, poetic passion, eroticism. In-fact the words ‘I love you’ in the case of romance has been used as a bait for luring the opposite partner for reasons other than the true meaning of what it should be. The reason I am saying is the 2007 Harlequin Romance Report released recently in Canada says that fully 58 per cent of men and 41 per cent of women have dropped an "I love you" solely in the hopes it would lead to sex. It doesn’t surprise me at all.

The biblical interpretation of love as trust, truth, patience, understanding, sacrifice, seems very conveniently forgotten, being relegated to the confines of the relationship cemetery resulting in the common trend of failed marriages. On a related note, modern science has its own interpretation of Love, for according to a study conducted by Texas Tech university some years ago, there are six types of Love that a girl and boy can fall in love. And one would be a liar if they said they never fell in any of the below category or categories (in my case).

Romantic Love : This is love when you are attracted to the opposite sex. This develops into a passionate feeling, this is a time when butterflies fly in the stomach, knees go weak, the heart throbs, a blush is instant (one wonders what happens later)
Game playing Love : This love involves no commitment to your partner or yourself. If the partner gets too dependent, you back off. (here the person is afraid to commit)
Friendship Love : You started off as friends which grew into love and it was all a gradual process. In this love you wake up one morning and realize you are in love with someone you least expect. (this can happen to anyone and can be quite surprising)
Practical Love : This is a no-nonsense approach to Love. Here a person may be in love with someone but not interested in marrying him/her because of reasons best known to them. (Examples could be different ‘religions’ or the good old ‘parental pressure’)
Selfless and Sacrificing Love : In this love you put your mates needs before your own, in return you ask for nothing. You are there during the good and bad times. (this kind of love is ideally what keeps the marriage or relationship healthy provided it is shared equally)

Having said that, love varies as we move on in life, we all can have different type of loves (for a friend, sibling, colleague etc) and each experience is different. Our existence hinges on it but we rarely care to understand this fact. Erich Fromm put it beautifully “Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence."

Paul Webster, the great song writer couldn’t have said it any better when he put pen to paper with these words “I met a young girl in Hong Kong town and I said ‘Can you tell me please ‘Where’s that love I’ve never found, unravel me this riddle what is love and what can it be and in her eyes were butterflies and she replied to me ‘Love is a many splendoured thing’.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Are you being served ?

2007-01-09T03:40:00.000-08:00

You have certainly heard it discussed in private informal gatherings, shouted out aloud in boardrooms, its sheer significance is pointed out daily in business schools, it is further underlined with certain ardor by lower to higher management in both the retail and corporate sector. A number of books continue to be written about it, seminars are being held every single day globally and speakers are being paid six figures an hour to talk about it – Customer Service, simple words that carry a weight un-measurable. In my experience over here, it has been as elusive as the ‘yeti in the cold mountains of tibet’

The other day the wife and I walked into a furniture showroom looking for a book shelf, being somewhat pampered by customer service people in the west, I was appalled by the service provided by a person who had no clue of the product he was selling and to top it all had an nonchalant attitude. I left the shop in disgust thinking ‘the changing face of the Bahraini economic and competitive landscape with the advent of big brand retail outlets (due to the inevitable effects of globalization) will certainly make the man jobless soon’. Point to be noted, the customer in many cases is still not the King here.

Though there are certain organizations, retail outlets sincerely making an effort to ‘delight and wow’ the customer in many creative ways, there is an overall laid-back and lackadaisical attitude to the ‘customer service’ process. One can attribute this fact to the good old days of being a monopoly (success by default) - of service reps having a job for jobs sake or organizations still not having comprehended the fact ‘you pay peanuts, you get monkeys’. It doesn’t take a genius to see the writing is clear on the wall to all such organizations ‘Shape up or Ship out, especially in regard to the customer service front’ – get your act together quickly or face the music in days to come.

I recently read about one organization going through a ‘Strategic Customer Service’ seminar. Sounds very intelligent and academic, but let’s not fool anyone ‘Customer Service is not rocket science and whilst business jargon like ‘strategic’ may make it very interesting it comes down to simple human interaction of treating people with respect . It about treating the customer as royalty and making his experience as outstanding as possible. A simple fact somewhat understood, but made complex in the scientific world of management.

Customer Service is applicable to each one of us. As individuals we are all respective ‘Heads of Customer Service” be it at home or the office. It is a balancing act - balance between skills and attitude, information and emotion, quality and quantity. For it is evident that whatever technology has given the world today, it still comes down to the smile, warmth and respect of the doorman at the Ritz or for that matter the attendant at Southwest airlines who went out of his way on his holiday to see that a passenger had his laptop delivered for a major presentation.

Customer Service people have heard it again and again, it is all about going the Extra Mile. What they need to register in their minds is the words of Roger Staubach the NFL great "There are no traffic jams along that extra mile.”

Any individual paying a price would be happy if a ‘customer service rep’ makes them see value for money besides ‘amazing’ them with a great attitude, knowledge about the product and thereafter going that extra mile after the sale is done. Wouldn’t that make us all raving fans of the outlet or organization. I am afraid we are not asking too much, Are we ?

Living Da Vida Loca

2006-11-08T06:21:00.000-08:00

I remember reading an epitaph as a kid which went like this “Here lies a man who lived life to the fullest”. Life to the fullest ! a very spirited and powerful statement, making the mind (over the years) visualize the life he may have lived .Whether the words were a tribute from family and friends or it was the man’s wish to have it inscribed, whichever one would assume - it was sure, the statement did have a big effect on me. Looking back, I would have been pleased to ‘pick his brain’ on the statement. I am sure his interpretation would be different from mine.

It is no secret that we all interpret life in our own ways influenced by various factors social, economic, religious, cultural etc. It is no secret that man has been on a constant search for the what exactly is ‘Living up the Life’. Everyone has their own interpretation, I put the question to some young teenagers recently whom I met at a local pub. ‘How does one live life to the fullest’ They were very candid in their response ‘Party man, we just like to party all day’. I smiled, thinking the answer would be different 15 years down the line. Clearly in to them the balance of priorities seem yet to be determined - these young men would slowly but surely understand the realities, as time devours them.

The ‘life’ query has come down since ages. A favourite story I often recount is of an intern disciple who wanted assurances from the master prior to joining him, posing him the question “What is the goal of human life”. The master said he didn’t know, disappointed the disciple asked ‘Is there life to be lived after we die”. The Master again replied in the negative. The intern walked away in disgust leaving other disciples somewhat shocked and dismayed as the Master (to them) seemed the Absolute. Seeing them disillusioned, the master replied “Of what use is to comprehend life and its meaning. I’d rather you ate the cake to your stomach’s content than speculate on it.”

There is a lot to be read from the Master’s statement. “Eating the cake…to the stomach’s content” can be interpreted in many ways. One of my many interpretations is living a well balanced life. Our lives are often miserable because everything is done in excess. I remember a female friend of mine who always postponed meeting her old mother due to her busy schedule, finally when she did make it - it was for her funeral. A lesson that changed her life forever.

We are all in some ways like her - we keep on postponing things thinking it will be done. Then one day we drop dead, taking with us our grandiose plans of what could have been done. As some one rightly put “Life should be lived as if it was your first day in heaven and last day on earth and everything else will fall in place”.

The issue of ‘having no time in life’ was brought out beautifully by the poet W.H Davies with his pastoral classic ‘Leisure’ . The first stanza which goes like this “What is this life is full of care, we have no time to stand and stare. No time to see, when woods we pass, where squirrels hide their nuts in grass: No time to see, in broad daylight. Streams full of stars, like skies at night”. The poem though countrified does have a profound meaning to each one of us and every line is analogous to our lives.

In final analysis, ‘Living the Vida Loca’ (Living the crazy life) is all about by striking the right equilibrium - the balancing act between activities we take for granted, Thinking, Working, Playing, Praying, Reading, Singing, Dancing, Giving and Loving – of-course all in a morally sound way. Undoubtedly, this never ceasing challenge is what makes Life interesting.

Maybe my stranger friend whose epitaph impacted me with such intensity did this to perfection…maybe not. I will never know.

The English Conundrum

2006-11-08T06:19:00.000-08:00

My column on the ‘Flushing down the facts' encouraged some of my friends to debate on the subject of Englishism vs Americanism, the Toilet vs Restoom scenario – the use of the English language in countries the world over. Some of them already on the throes of leaving Bahrain shores for countries like Canada, Australia and New Zealand seemed curious to know the intricacies of the subject, brushing up their adaptability genes on the English language – some just wanting to expand their knowledge and curious to know if I could assist in this task. I was clear that my viewpoint would hold good from a North American context.

I was queried as to how did I cope up with the language in terms of its usage in the day to day work during my 5 year stay in North America. Having already assessed myself as an average student of the ‘Queen’s English’ I responded that initially it did prove to be a problem but as time rolled by I got used to it. Having said that, personally till date it has always been frustrating understanding and correcting the assistant who has to constantly look out for the american spelling vs the english one in my business letters or strategic proposals, e.g. Optimize vs Optimise or Color Vs Colour. It is all the more annoying when people point this out when the flippant word means the same. It does bog you down when you spell a word ‘cheque’ and have your american colleague correct you that it is ‘check’ which is unrealistic cause ‘how does one check a check for errors’.

For the benefit of the people who are North America (Canada specifically) bound, I have taken it upon myself to shed some light on certain basics in regard to the English language having lived there. These sentences, phrases, words are purely my personal experiences. With due apologies to Shaw who claimed that English and America are two countries seprated by a common language, here are some specific disparities which I experienced on the language front.

‘I called for a Taxi’ should be referred to as “I called for a cab’
‘Throw it in the dustbin’ should be referred to as‘Throw it in the Garbage or Thrash can’
‘Oh here have some biscuits’ to ‘Oh here have some cookies’
(Biscuits in America are unsweetened dinner or breakfast pastries)
‘Use the lift’ to ‘use the elevator’
‘Ground Floor’ to ‘First Floor’
‘I need t fill up on Petrol’ referred to as ‘I need to fill up on Gas’
“day/month/year” in terms of the date would be month/day/year in American terms– something that I am still to get used to.

On the idioms front ‘knock on wood’ took precedence to ‘touch wood’ and ‘a skeleton in the cupboard’ would always be ‘skeleton in the closet’. The list is endless and I can go on and on.

Here’s some advice if do not want to land up with a bloody nose or just looked at scornfully think twice before using words like ‘fag (for a cigarette) it refers to a gay or a lesbian,’. Addressing a lady as‘Madam’ can land you in a spot, as Madam refers to a lady in charge of a house of ill repute’.

Having schooled in India, there are some Indian idiosyncrasies which one needs to watch for “freaked out does not mean having fun, it means scared or shaken’ and ‘Boot or trunk’ of the car should never be referred to as the Dickey’.

As a kid in school unknown to the vagaries on the language front (not related to Americanism vs Englishism), I still remember asking my colleagues to pass the pencil and the rubber . Today, I think twice before using the word ‘rubber’ whilst supervising my son’s homework. The conversation with the son now goes “That’s not right Ethan, that’s a mistake where’s the erazer”.

On a concluding note, a humourous incident pertaining to the intrigue part of the English language - the word ‘fanny’ comes to mind. I happened to be on the tube (train) on a cold snowy morning, sitting few seats away from this asian pacific origin lady who seemed very involved in her conversation about her pet dog with her friend. The discussion was loud and clear and people in the compartment were compelled to let the ears do the listening. She was praising her poodle to the skies saying “Oh my fanny is cute, my husband dotes on her, he adores her bringing her a cookie everyday”. I looked around to see eyebrows raised, smiles, smirks and kind of shy faces. It took me a few minutes to understand what does fanny mean from an American perspective. It just reinforced my thoughts on the English language – a great language…funny without a doubt.

A Tryst with Trust

2006-11-08T06:14:00.000-08:00

A boy’s night out is always included in the monthly schedule and my wife has no qualms about it. In-fact the Friday morning breakfast discussion revolves around the night happenings which always includes a teasing talk by ‘yours truly’ on the women one does encounter. She takes it in good spirit as she knows her husband too well. She retaliates happily when she goes out with the girls and I smile.

It is no secret like many couples ours also is so far a ‘Trust’ based relationship. The same cannot be said for some people. I have a friend who virtually lives on lies to keep his relationship healthy. At times I am told to partake in this transgression. I am sympathetic to his cause but till date never figured out ‘how can relationships live on fear and lack of trust’. Trust in my view is the foremost underlying platform in a relationship. It was George Macdonald who said it with gusto ‘It is better to be trusted than to be loved’ and I agree wholeheartedly. I personally would want it out with my wife if I am not trusted and vice versa.

In my friend’s case it takes no genius to know who calls the shots (which is not rare ) – the poor fellow is fodder for the vicious verbal sharks springing forth from the wife’s suspicion cesspool whenever he is in a casual conversation with a woman. Whatever the reason for this behaviour from the woman, it elicits a kind of ‘self centredness and insecurity which in my opinion stems from a poor past or a psychological trauma. I am not endorsing my friend is a saint and I have no right to pass judgment on either but I do have an opinion that if two people undergo a trust violating experience (which I am guessing is the reason in their case) there needs to be mutual acceptance and maturity from both sides to keep the relationship afloat – maturity that includes commitment, patience, belief and understanding which all leads to building of the new ‘Trust’.

Trust is after all recognized by the non presence of doubt or suspicion. Guy Greenfield in his book We Need Each Other rightly points out "Trust is openness and openness is the gateway to depth. Therefore you go as deep as you trust." It is said that 80 percent of any relationship is based on luck, the rest is Trust. I believe exactly the opposite, 80 percent is Trust the rest is luck. Trust exudes a positive aura, if you don’t trust your partner and you want to make your relationship work, first make a conscious effort to put your belief system in order, otherwise forget it. Live and Let l

India is on a Roll

2006-11-08T06:11:00.000-08:00

On the occasion of India’s Independence day, some lines of Tagore’s classic poetry comes to mind.
“Where the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and actionInto that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake…”

Undoubtedly India is on the prowl and the continuous tsunami of innovation, creativity and talent is speeding up like never before. The doyen of the marketing world, Dr Philip Kotler is convinced “India is on a roll” summing up the momentum of the country in a nutshell. The unforeseen but profound change has been a welcome sign for its economy and has come through some very astute and focused non-bureaucratic decisions from the government with the private sector - implemented through participative processes and popular will. India, originally a hub in the global exchange of goods, services and ideas over the centuries has begun a solid and formidable second innings of combining the old and new ideals for future success.
Substantiating Dr Kotler’s words is hard evidence - in the past 8 months Indian companies acquired 85 foreign companies while foreign companies only acquired 35 Indian companies. Leading the pack amongst businesses is Billionaire Laxmi Mittal who has in recent times rationalized the world steel industry, Mittal Steel is the largest steel company in the world. Following suit is Infosys and Wipro who have gone beyond the norm to portray and live the professional image serving their clients with exceptional service and writing new chapters in the IT and Management circles.

To folks who still view India as a country of snake charmers, keeping India out of the future equation would be doing so at your risk. The country has long moved from snake charmer to the mouse and there is every possibility that the computer on your desktop has a mandatory part played by an Indian or India itself in some way or another.

The good part of this change is the mindset shift – the built in paradigm established and conditioned in minds (for those born in the 50’s 60’s and 70’s) that everything western is from the heavens, has drastically changed. The younger generation has become more discerning in terms of tastes and being exposed to satellite television, demanding goods that suit their culture and taste whether local or global – making every top notch global brand take a very serious note of the requirements and tailoring it specifically to the need.
But this ‘success’ is not a bed of roses and the recurring spoke in the journey wheel is the endemic rule of inept, corrupt and tryrannical politicians in certain states, the rise of terrorism due to border disputes, the welfare of the rural population that comprise a prominent part of the populace and a number of issues that is the heavy luggage concomitant in a democracry.

Here are some statistics to prove that the country would be a force to reckon with :
- 540 million youth with the potential of transforming themselves into a global human cadre of a skilled and intellectual work force…(a Knowledge army on the rise)
- India currently accounts for about 20 per cent of world consumption
- India has just been ranked as the top destination for retailers in A T Kearney's Global Retail Development Index (GRDI)
- India continues to be the largest producer of milk, pulses, sugarcane and tea in the world
- The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have been ranked the third best technology universities in the world for 2005, according to the prestigious Times Higher Education Supplement (THES).

Without doubt, the country’s huge labour force has been instrumental in the building of massive infrastructures for most of the GCC nations. Its bond with Bahrain continues to be inextricable since both countries share a rich cultural heritage, high values and moral traditions.
India continues to be a bedrock of secularism and intelligence. Bearing testimony to this is a parliament comprising a Prime Minister, an economist (a Sikh), a President who is a Scientist (a Muslim) and the two main opposition parties headed by a Hindu and the other a Christian.

May God Bless this great nation and protect it from every evil design both internally and externally.
Shabaash (Well Done) India, keep it up.

Points in View

2006-11-08T06:06:00.000-08:00

A few thoughts on a beautiful bright sunny day in a life baffled with opinions and comments on significant topics in front of the mind.

On the Holy month of Ramadan – Hats off to some of my muslim colleagues who never cease to sport a smile and radiate cheerfulness inspite of the fasting and the penance. I continue to admire their resilience and tenacity. To me, they further strengthen the real meaning of the holy month which is all about sharing, giving and being humble whilst purely empathizing with the unfortunate. As for the ones who complain, grumble all I can say is I understand.

On the Big Bang theory – the recent nobel prize for physics accorded to two men pursuing a subject that has been both complex and confusing to me i.e “the universe began with the big bang” . The origin of man and universe will continue to be a ‘pestering thought’ to the thinking man. Whilst I still believe in the religious doctrine, the unbiased mind queries the big bang theory which in turn puts me in a quandary as to ‘what and how should I communicate this subject to my 4 year old son’.

On Suicide bombers - they will continue to claim more innocent lives in the near future and I believe, no matter what precautionary measures man can boast of in terms of technology, a human bomb has no answers. The solution lies in changing a mindset and that involves winning hearts and minds of every individual in a gandhian way.

On Dubai vs Bahrain – No matter what people say about Dubai and its concrete jungles, Bahrain still rocks. Bahrain exudes warmth, friendliness and a mystical feel which Dubai doesn’t have. It should be agreed that Dubai has done a darn good job of marketing themselves to the world. Bahrain has the talent to still be ahead, all it needs is the push and the backing of the decision makers.

On Slavery in recent times – the recent news of an Indian Labourer being chained in Bahrain goes to show you how slavery is still prevalent in our times. It shows you in these times how an individual can plummet to the depths of human depravity. The government should look into this matter with concern and keenness, since this is not the Bahrain of the future.

On Globalization – it might be a word attributed to the west in recent times but without doubt globalization began centuries ago - the Arabs had extended their influence westward between the 7th and 12th centuries, the Greeks had a Global empire and the Indus valley had Global connectivity with Iran’s Sumer Kingdom. The hub of globalization has always been Asia.

On the Gun Lobby in the US - a very powerful one indeed. No matter how many innocent children or adults die, guns will still be sold and people will still die. At the time of writing this piece, I would vouch, some psychopath is planning another school killing in the near future in some part of the US.

On Global warming – this is serious and we should all play a part of voicing our opinion against it as it will undoubtedly affect generations to come. The United States has a much bigger role to play since it has been proven that they are the biggest emitter of heat trapping carbon dioxide followed by China, which many scientists have linked to global warming.

Finally on Iraq – Now that the Americans have created a mess in Iraq, if reports are to believed there are talks making the rounds in US circles that for peace to return, it is better to divide it into three parts – Sunni, Shia and Kurdish regions. It is like saying I have killed a person, let us know cut him into three parts.

Flushing down the facts

2006-08-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

The other day a topic of conversation with friends touched on a sensitive subject – death, and the great equalizer it is. Whilst I acknowledged it with a pause, I added “ there is also another great equalizer where even the mighty, royal and powerful turn flaccid”. They all looked puzzled but reality slapped them with my simple rationale - when you have to go, you have to go, no matter where you are - it is the “Toilet”. My answer amidst very serious current topics which were being discussed wars, Mel Gibson’s rants, terrorism, and the main subject death certainly startled everyone - there was pin drop silence for a moment before a wry smile could be sported on everyone’s face. As for me, I was trying to bring out the lighter side of life through a shunned subject – a detour from the usual depressing news happening around the world.

Toilet ! the word itself would have some of my Torontonian buddies raising their eyebrows whenever used. I must admit having been exposed to cultures and styles internationally, I have been very watchful with this word in different countries calling it the restroom, washroom, bathroom, boys room, mens/ladies room, loo. My understanding is that it is also called the john, latrine, head, w.c and centuries ago it was known as a chamberpot or thunderpot . The Euphemisms are also plenty “Slumber room” “I am off to wash my hands” “Off to powder my nose” “I have to pick a daisy/spend a penny” etc. To date, I have never figured all the hue and cry about a certain diffidence on the subject when the end result is just a mandatory response to nature’s call.

Some people reading this piece might be already going “Ooh, how distasteful” and rightly so, because as human beings proper etiquette does not permit deliberating on the subject . I am no spokesperson for the toilet, but I have taken the liberty to put my pen to the subject, as I believe the room does give you time to ponder on things conveniently forgotten in the rigmarole of daily life. If a recent survey on places of idea origination by a blue chip corporation in London is to be believed, 6 percent of the best ideas are formed in the toilet (restroom certainly does sound better ) and rest in different other places. A friend of mine in Canada has a virtual library in the toilet endorsing a graffiti I had read in a Buffalo (US) restroom some years ago “the seat of learning”. Not that I am a big fan of reading a book there, to me it is just not right.

Some months ago, a British friend of mine narrated a humourous incident pertaining to the restroom. The story goes “A well known English foreign secretary wanted to address his non English speaking audience with the words ‘Ladies and Gentlemen’ in the local dialect and being the creative type wanted to spring a surprise to his audience with his insight of the local language. A few minutes before the speech, he requested his assistant to track down the words on the restroom doors. It was indeed a scene etched in his mind forever, seeing the faces of the people in the audience when he began “Lavatories and Urinals”.

For the curious, here are some interesting facts on the restroom
- the romans all sat down together in large groups unlike modern times where the room is separate and confidential.
- the animation film “Finding Nemo” had many children across the world setting their pet fish free out of captivity down the toilet after watching ‘Nemo’ escape.
– There were stories that President Johnson received people in this room. (don’t ask me how he did it).
- The first toilet freshener was a pomegranate stuffed with cloves.
- The worlds oldest piece of toilet roll 1,200 years old was found under an Israeli garage in 1993.
- Many lawyers point out to the seat not being raised down or up as one of the reasons of divorce (which is absurd, but very true). And many more.

As for me personally, I have continuously surprised myself with my knowledge on the subject which incidentally had prompted my friends to taunt me to get a Phd on the subject. Maybe I’d leave that to my four old who with his curious bent of mind will hopefully one day solve the problem of flushing down his plastic golf ball into the toilet – not before drawing up a big plumbing bill for his father – that would be cash down the drain, in the truest sense.

Don-ning a losing mantle

2006-08-07T07:32:00.000-07:00

“No matter where they run, they just cannot hide”. Words from one of Interpol’s top officials endorses the view that the long hand of law eventually catches up with crime and crime bosses, as proven with the recent arrest of Italy’s top mob man after 43 years. Making me draw an analogy to their lives - a flattering comma eventually turning into a damning full-stop.

The mind and persona of a ‘Mob Boss or an Underworld Don’ has always intrigued me. I have been a mafia movie buff ever since I was a kid and to an extent I tend to agree with this statement that these movies run because “identifying with the protagonist in these movies has a cathartic function, allowing us to live vicariously - so that we don't feel compelled to engage in their acts ourselves. We certainly may not condone what they do or engage in the acts ourselves, but there is a silent, unspoken awe of their idiosyncrasies”. But movies or no movies, rightfully so, the end never favours crime or crime don’s in most cases.

The formidable might of a ‘Don’ can be summed in Michael Corleone’s words from ‘The Godfather’ “My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power like a President or a Senator”. Indeed, from the real life don's the Al Capone’s, the Bugsy Siegel’s, John Gotti’s, the Kray Brothers, the Dawood Ibrahim’s etc - to the reel life ones Don Corleone, Tony Montana, Tony Soprano, Bhiku Mhatre’ etc - the temperaments have all been the same, Authoritative, Fanatic, Shrewd, Egoistic, Revengeful, Ruthless, Intrepid, Crazy etc. Their undying passion for money and control - their influence over people, cities and even countries is indisputable. Every country has their own share of ‘Crime czars’ some even going to the extent of using the politics/religion card to amass power, wealth and the accompanying clout.

Which brings me to query the influencers of the don mind, What drives these folks towards this self imposed ‘Almighty’ like persona ? Is it the effortless acquisition of easy money ! Is it the ‘control and domination’ factor even if it is ephemeral, the thrill of sitting on the highest pedestal with a remote control on people’s lives and decisions? What pleasure do some of them derive from their transgressions, committing shocking, if not ruthless crimes – heinous is some cases, giving even the toughest of cops goose bumps? Is it the rough childhood, broken families, the unfortunate upbringing, the inborn insecurity of the basic needs. The great Maslow understanding their hierarchy of needs, surely would have a bone to pick here.

The recent arrest of the Italy’s “Chief of Chief’s” Bernardo Provenzano, dubbed the “Ghost of Corleone” known for his spine chilling atrocities and killings clearly supports my argument. Ironically, the man so dreaded, seemed ‘meek as a lamb’ when the police finally arrested him. The power the man commanded was evident, with soaring ratings of some channels covering the story - gaining much prominence than the close fought national elections. On a related note, more on the personal front, I came across the recent demise of a childhood friend who in the past few years had risen to the high ranks in this cesspool of crime. He was shot dead by the police in Bombay. In this case, I have to admit I saw the writing on the wall when I bumped into him a decade ago. He had gone too far at that time, fallen into bad company and seemed a sucker for an easy life. My efforts to talk him out of leaving this world seemed fruitless. He made it clear to me that anything could be achieved by force and thought himself to be ‘God’ doing anything he wanted or for that matter anything I wanted. It didn’t surprise me when I recently read that he was fatally brought down in a police encounter. The only case in point here was he came from a decent family.

“Crime of-course doesn’t pay but it has indeed become convenient living” as Horace Rumpole of the English TV series – Rumpole of the Bailey put it. And some Crime Godfather’s have made it that way by playing the survival game to perfection, eliciting an image of legality whilst presenting the perfect picture of corporate citizenry. It is an undeniable fact that politicians in certain countries the world over, are in some way or another connected to the mob and rely on mob bosses considerably to get themselves voted to power. That the general population is helpless understanding the Mob’ reach and influence into every fragment of society only endorses the power these people yield.

Probing the ‘Capo di tutti capi’ or the ‘Godfather’ psyche makes one wonder, if somewhere in the deep recesses of their rigid minds - there is a kind of anxiety, a belief that that the fragile ‘playing card’ houses they live in, are a second away from the gentle breeze. During one of my conversations with a police friend in the higher echelons of the force, an interesting comment left an indelible mark on me, to quote him “these criminals might get a reprieve from the physical anguish but the mental torment in some way or the other taunts them in the later years, causing them much distress, misery and unbearable pain”.

At the time of writing this piece, I am pondering what might be going through the arrested 83 year Italian mob boss’ mind. Is there any remorse as a human being for the various crimes committed by him? A lonely cell and his hardened conscience might have the answers. But will there ever be answers to his numerous victims families. I doubt it.

Parenting – Art or Science

2006-07-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

As someone rightly put it, “The trouble with being a parent is that by the time you are experienced, you are unemployed”. I am still an amateur understanding it whilst the process becomes tougher with the challenges of the demanding world.

In a society where everything is available at the press of a button and it will only become easier, teaching children the value of things does rank up high on the agenda of bringing up the child. The ipod and the blogging generation is without doubt having it easier and it takes no genius to recognize that the more easier kids acquire toys of all kinds, the appreciation and the value of these items diminish much more quickly than one could realize. To be fair to them, it is not entirely their fault, as they are merely instruments in the hands of the influencer – in this case the parents.

I personally take the blame in this regard, as I somehow give in to my 4 year old without a thought, as I just want to see him happy, quiet and satisfied. But deep within there is a general guilt (trying sincerely to discipline myself) as to ‘what I am doing is absolutely wrong’. I still remember the day when I wanted my first bicycle I had to work for it by getting my grades up. That was not all, I was told to do some household chores for a certain period of time. That the joy of getting the bicycle was a different matter, it was the care, attention and caution taken in looking after it – understanding the work done in acquiring it. The value was tremendous. The case is different when I see my kid play with his toy that he yearns for with great enthusiasm but the very next day he is already bored of it and has left scattered amongst the other toys. The point I am trying to make is ‘the importance of making kids realize the value of things they receive’. I am certainly responsible.

In this era of easy acquisition of loans and spending power making kids realize that money doesn’t grow on trees and every penny needs to be valued is indeed the need of the hour. Like a famous Hollywood celebrity put it “I made my son understand it was not an easy climb – washing dishes and cleaning cars was a part of my learning and he had to do it the same way to understand the value of things”.Besides the value factor comes the discipline part and here I think the so called pro- children rights group have taken it too far in certain countries.

In Canada for example a few years ago there was a huge uproar by these groups towards a well intentioned spanking law passed by the Supreme Court which basically touched on a mild coercive correction.
Incidentally, prior to the implementation of that spanking law a story was narrated to me by neighbours of a well respected Pakistani family who had a tough time controlling their 8 year old, backed by certain laws, who went to the extent of taunting and threatening the parents with a call to 911, if they said anything to him. What happened a few months later was a lesson to the kid for the rest of his life. On arrival at the Karachi airport, the father wouldn’t hold nothing back and let the son have it all on the tarmac itself, the son thinking it was Canada and not realizing the culture difference sought the help of a local policeman who after listening to the story authorized the father to spank him more. That the young kid had to live the next ten years of his life in Karachi is a different story. Today he is a budding businessman in Toronto. The argument here could be ‘a kinder approach by the parents in bringing up the kid in Canada itself, but I was told that too didn’t work since the kid was of a different breed ironically calling the shots on every level’.

I am no advocate of threatening a child by a rod neither am I an endorser of a kid being brought up in the east or west. A kid should without doubt be brought up with love, patience and understanding, but there is a line to be drawn when it comes to discipline and I firmly believe that spanking at times does no harm as long as it sends across the message required. I believe children are incredibly forgiving, resilient and considerate and they tend to endure and forgive parental mistakes, if it is all wrapped up in love and good intent. Today’s generation is very well advanced in understanding if the spanking is well-intentioned or just the result of anger, the need to control, or plain bankruptcy of parenting strategies

My 4 year old son Ethan has made me curb, sacrifice, alter or merely just change my idiosyncratic ways in a positive manner, in-fact with him everyday is a learning period. And I do agree with Rev Jesse Jackson that “Ultimately in the parenting equation it is our presence than the presents that matters”. Let’s face it there is no formula for a sound foundation of parenting, all one can do is simply live the value, respect and discipline factor which hold the pillars of the making of a good human being. George Dorsey was the one who put it plainly “Good, honest, hardheaded character is a function of the home. If the proper seed is sown there and properly nourished for a few years, it will not be easy for that plant to be uprooted”. Meanwhile, I keep my fingers crossed.

The Rising Sun has to set down

2006-06-28T23:07:00.000-07:00

It is not often that one gets captivated by a song, a song that inspires and continues to influence me in my truth-seeking endeavours in my otherwise busy life – in this case an old urdu qawali. I have taken the liberty to add my own take on it. This philosophical rendition repeatedly touches a nerve whenever I hear it. It goes like this.

“You, oh man, dressed in your robe of pride and putting on a false pretense, why do you gloat on your self-made dance of arrogance. Your ballet of life on planet earth is indeed ephemeral. You are but a mortal puppet sitting on a transitional fragile throne. You have conveniently forgotten that living life is all about humbleness and humility. All the snobbery and haughtiness you wallow in, is momentary. Remember, the sun which rises with much gusto in the morning also sets down in the evening. Every life on earth is like the sun, who eventually has to go down when the time comes.

Why do you, who are mere passengers on this journey, revel in your pride, knowing very well the station to depart could be right now. Why do you pompously sport your ‘ego’ hat just because of a little fame, fortune, position, money and power - all worthless in the final equation. The plain truth is you have arrived empty handed and you will go empty handed, but you continue to live life as if it is infinite. You have lost yourself in earthly and materialistic pleasures having conveniently forgotten the ‘absolute’ power who has you in the palm of his hands. Some of you continue to complain and even cry about your existence - about your world beset with problems, problems made by you and your people’s doing. Crying and worrying has never resolved problems but standing up to it and facing it with resilience and determination is life’s mission. Understanding life has never been easy and you need to wake up from this deep slumber. Remember the sun which rises in the morning has to set down in the evening.

From kings to beggars everyone has to turn to dust. Remember Alexander’s power and passion to rule the world, what did he take when he left it. We have all read about his might, his army, his power and his ambition to conquer the world. If history is to be believed, he walked the earth with a god like arrogance - nose in the air - chest upwards. Today, dear friends, there is not even a candle to pay homage to him. All the ego, the smugness, the pride all turned to dust. The holy books rightly say “What you sow so shall you reap” so bear in mind those of you who walk with your head in the clouds, it is just a matter of time till you are brought down to the ground with a resounding thud. Remember the sun that rises in the morning sets down in the evening.

Death has to happen, no one has escaped it. All those you called your own, when were they yours. When you die, every relationship ends, Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, Son, Daughter everyone is left behind. Their role ends at the burial site, when they deposit mud over your face. Whether rich or poor you will finally be wrapped in a 2 meter cloth and laid down to rest. The same people who cry over you, after laying you down to rest immediately turn their attention to your hard earned fortune (the hard to digest universal truth in many cases). You in the meantime will be erased from people’s memory in a flash - people who liked and loved you will forget you tomorrow. That is why it is no use to dwell on your pride and ego, hoard your riches (you are better off helping your needy brethren) no use to assess life and all its complexities. Your bodily existence is as fragile as a snowflake.

We never know what lies beyond death, even the sun doesn’t know whether his resting each day is beautiful or not, everyday to him is a new day - but he continues to shine and our lives should be like that – radiating brightness and light in peoples lives - for the moment and day to depart could be right now.”

The Significance of Design Thinking

2006-05-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

The rapid pace of globalization and the emergence of new technologies have predictably made businesses scamper around to carve out a unique niche in the cut-throat world of edge seeking. The search over the years for bettering and enhancing the “I am better than you” notion continues with drilling and exploration of the ‘new and effective thinking’ wells. The recent extraction seems ‘design thinking’ which has been drawing considerable attention in the corporate and management circles because of its effectiveness and simplicity in meeting, if not exceeding the requirements of the man on the street whilst making balance sheets look healthy.

This upward trend in design thinking reminds one of the time when quality went through a similar phase – quality manufacturing was unheard of until Deming, a great thinker came along and dissected quality on all fronts. People then became conscious of this fact.

However design, the word itself, has never got its due recognition – at times being looked upon more as a veneer rather than a soul issue. This is changing with focus on a design centric culture by leaders in their respective sectors: Procter & Gamble, Samsung, IBM, Harley-Davidson, BMW, Apple, Disney and Dell, among others. These companies have astutely injected the whole design thinking injection into their corporate being. It should be underlined here that design thinking is not only the domain of designers and not resigned to aesthetics and style which is what one generally associates ‘design’ with. This type of thinking is a process applicable to Human Resources, Finance, Marketing, Administration etc as it primarily enables one to generate more ideas which otherwise would not be there.

What then is Design Thinking ?. To understand it, one must look at what judgmental thinking is – that is which combines ‘proving something operates’ and ‘proving it must be’. Design thinking adds a third dimension to the two facets ‘suggesting that something may be and reaching out to explore it’. The Ipod as an example would never have seen the light of the day if Steve Jobs and his team never out-imagined the competition with the “what if” question, a mandatory preamble in the thinking process. This thinking is indisputably a catalyst for innovation productivity and primarily revolves around creativity and empathy.

The renowned Roger Martin, the Dean of the J L. Rotman School of Business in Toronto firmly believes design thinking is the future and has introduced ‘Design Thinking’ into his MBA curriculum. He is confident that students who undergo the program will be ready to tackle complex business problems in line with the recurring shift in world trends. Stanford, Harvard, Georgetown, Berkeley are the other blue chip institutions already paying considerable attention to this new trend with thinkers such as Tom Peters, Edward Bono and Bruce Nassbaum to name a few, joining the bandwagon in endorsing this type of thinking.

On a personal front, whilst there maybe schools to train you in the subject, I believe we are all born design thinkers who do not exercise our design thinking mind. The fact is it continues to be dormant due to our fear of threading the unknown path, taking undue risks and the constant fear of mistakes. And successful people and products are indeed the outcome of seeing beyond the predictables and walking this unknown path.

I believe your IQ scores in the future will not only relate to your Intelligence but also your Imagination. The good news is we all have Imagination in abundance. Putting it to action is the never ending challenge. For design thinkers, this is a habit.

What Sir is Corruption ?

2006-04-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

I have been inspired to write this piece whilst watching a documentary on degradation of society where some young minds inquisitively ask a professor ‘What Sir is Corruption’. I deemed it essential to dig into it since the topic itself is a ‘sine qua non’ in newspapers the world over.

The meaning of the word Corruption points out to its ORIGIN from Latin corrumpere ‘mar, bribe, destroy’ - willing to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain. - evil or morally depraved.

It was a priest who once pointed out to me, “Corruption is all around us, omnipresent, a distorted, antithetical version of God in today’s fast changing world. It is pervasive”. And I firmly believe “ Corruption is like a ball of snow, once it's set rolling, it picks up everything in its way and keeps on increasing”. The only deterrent to it is the human spirit and that inner voice called conscience.

An acceptable universal fact is it robs citizens of their potential and aspirations for a brighter future whilst obstructing a fair competitive playing environment. There is no formula in eradicating corruption. While most noticeable in third world countries, it takes form in government and business religious organizations, nonprofit groups, sports teams, and individual families. Corrupt behavior is not restricted to illegal activities, it hampers society's progress whenever rules are bent, boundaries are trespassed, and standards are lowered. No culture in history has yet ended corruption and never will.

Corruption stems from a wide variety of different reasons some of which include lack of certain regulatory procedures, lack of transparency and lack of accountability. It has been instrumental in weakening nations, ruining organizations, destroying societies and countries. Let’s face it, no country is free of corruption – in rich countries it takes place on much higher level - the prime example being the US with its high profile Enron and World Bank scandals in the recent past. Then you have certain countries like Communist China going to the extent of offering the death penalty. In India a recent alumni from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) employed with an oil company paid with his life for his unstinting drive to eradicate corruption at petrol pumps. The list is endless.

Whilst a nation’s progress is indeed affected by the parishioners of the corruption church, quality, professionalism and intellectual know-how, all pillars of a growth oriented society take a convenient back seat in this mix . It is no secret that a corrupted virus prone business environment inevitably puts a cog in the country’s economic engine. Transparency international has set guidelines to stem the spread of it – their commandments include : demanding transparency, being a whistleblower, creating an integrity circle and removing all forms of temptation. However adherance of these guidelines require total commitment and resolution from the people who design the laws and people who practice it.

As my old man used to say “Today one does not have to be a revolutionary to create a storm or to fight the people who practice corruption. Being honest is enough. Honesty assures you a good night’s sleep”. As for a civilized world, Wilde put it rightly, he said “Civilization is not by any means an easy thing to attain to. There are only two ways by which man can reach it. One is by being cultured, the other by being corrupt”. The choice is ours.

Appetizing Subject…Indeed

2006-03-16T06:07:00.000-08:00

It was Shaw who affirmed “There is no love as sincerer as food”, a quote very relevant to the times I live in – besides the inevitable eating, I seem to be on a cooking high, truly enjoying this new found hobby. The good news is I am getting better at it – an assessment based on the fact ‘that you don’t have to refer to a recipe book or ‘the food prepared is savored with joy by everyone’. My male friends jeer at this new found interest though are prompt at saying yes for a meal invitation. They keep drumming it, that my venturing into a dominant female bastion would cost me dearly in the long run.

To add to it, I was recently warned by the wife’s old uncle. “Young man don’t get comfortable with it, else you will find yourself in the kitchen eternally, let the woman look after it”. I do comprehend the meaning of this advice but I also believe one should go where the heart tells you to and I believe I have a right to that choice. Cooking like writing and playing a certain sport seems another stimulus which adds to my creative juices. Indeed, I am certainly no chauvinist and don’t believe it is only a woman thing. My argument has always been that some of the best chefs in the world are men.

On the appetizing subject of cooking and food making, I have encountered various so called cooks from different nations - mostly women,
- some passionate about the makings of the dish akin to a proud mother boasting of her baby
- then there are those who without any qualm sport a ‘who gives a darn’ as long as it is edible
- some who occasionally buy food from restaurants and claim they are the chefs.
- then there are others who with ardent interest sit in front of the television with a pen and book in the hand but never get to making it
- those who sport the guise of a cook but have their maids or husbands behind the scenes.
- lastly some who claim they are the best but get stumped when asked to spot out difference between parsley and coriander at the grocery.

In regard to parting away of recipes - here again, I have made some observations – (I call them members of a new CIA) – the Cooking Intelligence Agency : the first who bluntly refuse you with a NO, the second type who would give you the recipe but miss the main ingredients, the third who just smile it off without offending you. I believe they have their reasons just like magicians do, but most of them do it because they have to shine in the party gossip circles where food most of the times is a core subject of the evening whereby the ignorant husband or male friend (in most cases) just nod and smile without understanding the subject at all, whilst playing to the women’s rhetoric on food.

As for me, I have to admit that cooking is an interesting hobby that certainly requires time, patience and passion, if one has to really enjoy it. I am exploring this new found hobby with eagerness – who knows, it may be a far off goal but maybe one day I could give Jamie Oliver a run for his money or simply put those hard nosed recipe hoarding folks to shame with my creative cooking inventions.

Just for the record, my next invention is a new twist to cheese pasta with a sprinkling of shrimps and other sea food and a load of other ingredients.

For food sake! everyone is welcome.

Educating your child

2006-02-26T03:16:00.000-08:00

It is a universal fact that most parent’s leave no stone unturned when it comes to educating their children the world over. This has become an even more challenging task in an ever changing and demanding globalized world. We are no different, our son will soon be admitted to a school in Bahrain and my wife has been edgy and somewhat concerned on the right institution and how this will all materialize. I seem unperturbed.

Education institutions, even the blue chip ones are no guarantee to a badge of success in today’s world. Whilst education is unmistakably a passport to an unpredictable future - quality and type of education seems to have conveniently lost its essence in the whole mix. Too many hours of bookish study at a rapid pace, overload of daily homework, carrying those sack load of books have resulted in institutions killing the child’s interest in grasping the true meaning of knowledge. I have seen many a child lose their childhood in this pursuit – they have forgotten what it is like being curious, exploring, relating, discovering, inventing, falling, getting up, doing, dancing, playing, singing.

Knowledge is indeed power and a gradual learning process but as the great Rabindranath Tagore put it simply “The greatest of educations for which we came prepared is neglected, and we are made to lose our world to find a bagful of information instead. We rob the child of his earth to teach him geography, of language to teach him grammar. His hunger is for the Epic, but he is supplied with chronicles of facts and dates”.

Without doubt, there are certain institutions in the world today that adhere to these principles of education. Then there are those who believe feeding too much knowledge into a tiny brain readies the modern world for a smart and savvy person. In the overall analysis, creativity is the loser whilst the gap in balancing the physical, intellectual and social skill continues to widen. Having said that some parents too are responsible for thrusting their kids into wells of intellectuality hoping them into being a MENSA topper or having an IQ of Einstein. They believe it is their birthright to see that their kid should become a doctor, engineer, lawyer etc without understanding their inclination and passion towards the respective field. The fueling of the direction and nurturing of the child’s talent and intelligence should be a combined effort between parents and institutions, but unfortunately this rarely happens.

Intelligence as defined by the psychologist Howard Gardner is divided into 7 kinds in regard to a talented child. Linguistic the ones who enjoy writing, reading etc, Logical-Mathematical the ones with logical intelligence interested in patterns. Bodily-Kinesthetic the ones who are athletic, or good at crafts. Spatial the ones who think in images building with Leggos, Musical the ones who are always singing or drumming to themselves. Interpersonal the ones who are leaders amongst peers, good communicators. Intra-personal the ones who are shy - aware of their own feelings and are self-motivated.

Every child is born with infinite potential and harnessing this potential to the maximum is the challenge most institutions fail to do. Some institutions have become so focused on the monetary gains and the continuous influx of children into their classrooms, the true spirit of education is forgotten – making it more a factory, a mechanized assembly line churning out goods at a good pace. As for parents, the hurried pace of professional life make them subservient to the respective institution for the emotional and functional enhancement of their child.

Young couples in the West, Europe and now India are heading towards home schooling their children which seems not a bad idea in today’s robotic and automated world. However, this is not as easy as it looks on paper, considering the complexities, time pressures, work and home balance etc. It can truly be a landmine filled field, if one rushes into it without their homework.

As for us, I guess I’d stick to sending my boy to any institution but create simultaneously a fun school at home allowing him to enjoy the joys of childhood within the ok parameters of discipline. At the time of writing this piece, my wife Sharon has been grumbling over the telephone that Ethan, my 3 year old has messed up her dressing table, the whole bedroom and looks like a clown. I am not complaining. This is his time to unearth the questions in his mind This is the price of innocence, I am happy to pay, this is the child being a child. This may all change in due course.

Management Lessons from Mom

2006-02-20T02:16:00.000-08:00

The world of Management has in the past and current century given an iconic status to the Drucker’s, the Peters, the Welch’s etc - business guru’s who have been a great source of inspiration and immense encouragement to students of the industry. However, whilst one cant deny the contribution of these gentlemen, there are the lucky ones like me who owe my career graph rise entirely to my old lady.

My mom taught me Vision and Goal setting, if you want those soccer boots for the next season you better get those A grades this year.
My mom taught me Mission, you better finish that spinach on your plate if you want the strawberry dessert you have been eyeing.
My mom taught me Leadership ‘ You are in charge of your younger siblings when playing in the backyard. I will hold you responsible if anything happens to them’
My mom taught me Planning and Preparation ‘Your cousins are coming home this summer, chart out their schedule and see to it, they have an enjoyable time’
My mom taught me Execution ‘Here’s how you keep your bed in order after you wake up’
My Mom taught me Creativity ‘We want to surprise dad for his birthday, why don’t you think of something that he’d like and be really surprised with.
My mom taught me Ethics, ‘I see you have your friend’s pencil in your box, I want that returned tomorrow, no questions asked’.
My mom taught me Financial Management ‘Here’s your pocket money for the month, I know you have a million things you want, go figure it out’.
My mom taught me to there’s a Time and Place for everything ‘If you want to fight with your brother, do it outside my house, I have just finished cleaning it’.
My mom taught me Resilience and Spirituality ‘Don’t lose heart that you didn’t win this time, if you have worked hard and given it your best, your time will come – there is a God, keep trying’
My mom taught me to Respect everyone ‘Don’t you dare talk to anyone like that – Treat people the way you would like to be treated’
My mom taught me Control and Discipline ‘ You will not play those finals of the cricket match with the temperature you are running and that’s not changing’
My mother taught me Honesty and Integrity ‘No matter what happens always tell the truth, you won’t have to remember what you said and to whom’ . Thanks Mom, will never ever be able to repay you.

Battling the Conscience

2006-02-20T00:43:00.000-08:00

Reminiscing a picturesque afternoon in the summer of June 2004 - Whistler, Vancouver. Lazy mountains in a lover’s embrace with the sunken clouds, golden rays of a friendly sun piercing the waters resembling diamonds strewn over and thirsty tourists chained like slaves to their blinking cameras.

Amidst this background, at the hotel, I was introduced to this broad shouldered Texan – a US Army Lieutenant, by a colleague of mine. At first the barrier of cultures seemed an impediment in the initial dialogue, but an hour later the conversation set in motion and converged upon insensitive subjects like family, vacations etc.

My curiosity got the better of me and the desire of probing into the mind of a soldier and his views on the current Iraq war relegated me to a position of sporting my creative sales questioning hat on. To my surprise and somewhat amazement, he had just returned from serving in Iraq, a battalion under his command.

Seizing the opportunity, of getting a first hand overview of the War and correlating it to the propaganda (in my opinion) from a certain American news channel that the situation is hunky dory and the Americans are winning the hearts and minds of the people, I decided to dig deeper.

At first there was a reluctance in opening up but my persistent probing of the matter along with the welcome company of a few beers did the trick. He was grim in his expressions as he indicated that the soldiers in Iraq are indeed giving their best, building schools, aiding in hospitals, saving lives etc, but haven’t been portrayed by the world media in that manner.

To which I responded by quoting Swift saying “War my dear friend, in the overall realm of things is the child of pride and pride buddy is indeed a daughter of riches”. I stopped, “Besides the Saddam reason, isn’t this all about oil and power ”. I knew I was provoking the young man, but my parched conscience gave me the courage to meet him head on.

Surprisingly, there was a momentary silence. A true soldier that he was, he rose to defend his country’s views but sensed some truth in my statement because there was a sudden emotional outburst, he then broke down admitting he personally had killed two Iraqi’s fighting his battalion and he went on to say with a mocking tone “They gave me a medal for it”. A statement that needed no further questions and left me seriously wondering the much bigger war these young men wage with their conscience.

We left on a good note, not before him telling me the countries next on the line. In the meantime, he awaits his call either to Afghanistan, Iraq or the next place that America has its interests in.

Whoever did say ‘its not the events of our lives that shape us, but our belief as to what those events mean’. Case rested.

Of Gully cricket, Broken Window Panes and Bombay Sherbet!

2006-02-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

Tennis ball cricket has vivid associations of a playful childhood - it should be said that the mystical aura and nostalgia of gully cricket played in the by lanes and maidans of Bombay or any part of Asia has a charm of its own. For the few who have experienced the game in this form would agree.

It is said that trademark straight drive from the illustrious Gavaskar originated here.The great Tendulkar still makes his rounds here and the late Vijay Merchant regarded the place as a cricket baptism of sorts.

Many a professional and amateur cricketer will vouch its influence in their respective careers. The gully game undoubtedly is played with great gusto and enthusiasm necessitating the current Indian coach Greg Chappell to admit the level of competitiveness witnessed in the gullies should be channeled to the international playing arena.

To go back in time as a kid, we always met after school to play in the gullies or lanes, since the grounds were already packed with footballers, field hockey players and cricketers. At times, there were six different games being played and no one complained or uttered word about the other. Of course, the first comers often got the best share of the ground and that made us kids head for the gullies due to our school timings. The rules in these gullies were strict and rigid. A wooden plank, and sometimes school bags, played the role of stumps. A batted full toss on the left or right side a over a certain discussed boundary would mean marching orders – you were out. In a sense, our young minds had to develop a different mindset whilst playing here - the level of concentration, skill and reflexes were undoubtedly the main characteristics for success here.

However, life was not always perfect and we had our share of Hitler’s – one especially in the guise of a woman whom we wickedly nicknamed in Bombay slang ‘The Wiper” . She never returned the cricket balls whenever a mistimed shot landed in her compound. The choicest of expletives would follow to the batsman at the crease. Our young minds could never fathom the animosity this lady had against us kids or our game of cricket. However, the love of the game was so great that we ignored her comments and continued our game.

The breaking of a windowpane would result in everyone contributing towards the damage done. Such was the teamwork and spirit that the less fortunate would not be asked to pay. However the fear of a broken window pane and the torture of being kicked out of the gully was more alarming resulting in every player being inventive in his cricketing shots.

Our gully game had a major benefactor in the form of the local ‘Sherbet Walla’ or the cold drinks man. He virtually made a major chunk of his daily livelihood through our regular practices. He knew everyone by name and was a regular of sorts with his cart in the corner dishing out the sherbets and his ice Popsicles that seemed like “manna” from the gods to us thirsty souls.

And who could forget the kind 80-year-old man who would daily sit on his armchair with a cup of coffee watching our game with interest and amusement. He would occasionally offer us some cookies once the game was over whilst narrating exploits of the ex-cricketing greats, the Amarnaths, Griffiths, Trueman, etc. We listened and grasped the stories with eagerness though at times we were bored to death since the stories seemed long and repetitive. The boys would wink at one another saying “When would the old man finish” However, our respect for the man prevented us from stopping him midway through his story session.

The gully aura is something that ought to be experienced and whilst not every one turns out to be a Tendulkar or a Sehwag, one can take heart from shots played by these gentlemen, originated in the gullies. What ya say?