Negative Thinking and Health

Every religion advocates positive thinking and shuns negative thoughts. We should understand the essence of positive thinking to infer the meaning of negative thinking.

The web definition of positive thinking is, "Positive thinking is the act of thinking good or affirmative thoughts. Positive thinking is a way to use your mind to reverse the damaging effects of negative thinking."

Negative thinking is a kind of pessimism which is detrimental to one’s mental health.

How can negative thinking harm us?

This is evident from the above definition that by thinking positive one can get rid of depressing, unhealthy, negative thoughts.

It is a proven fact that negative emotions add to our stress levels. We are also aware of the fact that prolonged anxiety and stress can lead to heart diseases and many psychological problems. What we don't understand or perhaps are unaware of is the fact that negative emotions have physical manifestations on our health! Feelings like anger, insecurity, anxiety, jealousy, greed etc can not only trigger aches, pains, or illness in the body but can also hamper our recovery from diseases.

To understand how negative emotions affect our health, we need to be aware of the symbolism of our bodies.

- Our face symbolizes our outer appearance i.e. when we show any stifling of self- expression, our deep feelings can lead to problems like tonsillitis and sore throat. When a person is unable to express oneself due to incapacity or hesitation but with bottled up anger it can lead to even more serious throat problems like "laryngitis".

- Similarly hearts symbolize our ability to love; that is why heart problems arise if you restrain yourself back from expressing love, self-loathing, negative self-talk and thinking, the feeling developed in you that you do not deserve to love or to be loved, resentment and hatred.

- Our backs ‘support’ our bodies. Any problems with the back could lead to feeling shattered, fear of over-burden with problems or fear that life may not support you. And a problem with the upper back could be linked to stress or feeling that your loved ones are not supporting you and lower back problems could be related to financial worries.

- Our stomachs symbolize our ability to digest and assimilate. When you can't accept a new idea or experience, your stomach may show symptoms like indigestion etc. That is why it is seen that the problem of indigestion could have its roots from not accepting the change, new ideas, people or situations in your life.

- Similarly it is also seen that the people of adamant behaviour get the problem of jamming of Joints, arthritis etc. this is like a reflection of their non-flexible behaviour on their Body which restricts their movement.

- Those of jealous nature get acidity problem in their stomach etc. etc.

The above “symbol example” is a guideline which can help to understand the symbolic meaning of each and every part of our body. Once we understand this symbolism we can probe deeper into every illness and identify the root cause and help the person think positive.

Laughter is the best medicine. So folks, keep smiling. It is infective and spreads positive energy.

Hope the readers also enjoyed this article. Let the Power of Positive thinking spread all over and bring peace of mind to all, together with happiness and progress in Life.

Be blissful.Namaste.

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

FLIGHTS OF FANTASY

My childhood days were spent fantasizing about “how it would be if I could ........... Play in a chocolate fountain, visit the moon, watch those living abroad, and talk to people living at the other end of the earth. The wants were many and the means too distant then. It was just a dream – a fantasy, too good to be true.

Neil Armstrong, Yuri Gagarin and Rakesh Sharma were super heroes who were demi gods who had achieved the inconceivable. They stared at us from our G.K. (General knowledge) books and News papers, away from normal human reach.

Today as middle age confronts me, the fantasies and dreams bundled in the deep recesses of my mind, have translated themselves to reality in an objective form. I get to see chocolate fountains now. Trips to the moon – a vacation package. Computers have pervaded our homes and souls and webcams bring people closer and the world shrinks.

With so many happenings, I can now walk and talk to the end of this earth. I shake my head in wonder.

Is there any area that is beyond human power of achievement? My mind doesn’t agree. Yet, is there any dearth of new wants? No, not at all. Once achieved our insatiable desire spreads its vicious tentacles to reach out to new areas of wants.

And so here I am, coming up with yet another crazy wish of mine which I know will be fulfilled during my life. It’s only a matter of time. Human brain is smart enough to spring a solution under the guise of Science and Technology.

We live on planet earth. It forms a part of our Solar system which is called the “Milky way”.

When I look up at the star studded sky late in the evenings, seated on my couch in the open Terrace of my house, my mind goes to a tizzy. Every single Star above me has a separate Solar system, a new universe. This knowledge leaves me gaping at the sky. It is said that Aliens do exist. Why not, I feel.

If there was another earth somewhere in that vast expanse of star studded sky then there would definitely be life existing in some form. These extra terrestrial beings have been fantasised on big screen. Surely they could be a definite possibility.

Now my mind grows wings and tries exploring these ideas. Could we not befriend these aliens and co-exist together? May be it could be mutually beneficial to both of us. How interesting! Delving into their lifestyles and studying their habits and culture.

To go a step further, we could arrange exchange programmes for the children, exchange scientific ideas and try to ape them. We could learn the art of flying in those space ships similar to learning cycling and driving car. We would get licence to do so. The rich could plan weddings in the other planet. Employment opportunities could be available in plenty there. We could find out the source of entertainment of those aliens and try to implement them on earth.

If they were intellectually behind human race, we could be the Masters of their Universe and if otherwise we could learn a thing or two from them.

Oh! I could go on and on about my whims and fantasies. I also imagine us swapping planets to get rid of our everyday – enemy – the invincible Mosquito.

As the saying goes, all good things come to an end. I am just left to dream of it hoping beyond hope to see it happen in my life time.

Now, coming back to earth (Pun), I would like to share a few facts about our galaxy, with all to show them from where my imaginative flight took off.

S.SEKAR

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

Our Solar System's Location in the Milky Way Galaxy

From the Earth, our Milky Way Galaxy is visible as a milky band that stretches across the night sky. It is easier to see when you are far from bright city lights.

Our solar system is located in the outer reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is a spiral galaxy. The Milky Way Galaxy contains roughly 200 billion stars. Most of these stars are not visible from Earth. Almost everything that we can see in the sky belongs to the Milky Way Galaxy.

The sun is about 26,000 light-years from the center of theMilky Way Galaxy, which is about 80,000 to 120,000 light-years across (and less than 7,000 light-years thick). We are located on on one of its spiral arms, out towards the edge. It takes the sun (and our solar system) roughly 200-250 million years to orbit once around the Milky Way. In this orbit, we (and the rest of the Solar System) are travelling at a velocity of about 155 miles/sec (250 km/sec).

To reach the center of the Milky Way Galaxy starting from the Earth, aim toward the constellation Sagittarius. If you were in a spacecraft, during the trip you would pass the stars in Sagittarius one by one (and many other stars!).

Since we're inside the Milky Way Galaxy and we've never sent a spacecraft outside our Galaxy, we have no photographs of the Milky Way Galaxy. Radio telescope data does, however, let us know a lot about it.

The arms of the Milky Way are named for the constellations that are seen in those directions. The major arms of the Milky Way galaxy are the Perseus Arm, Sagittarius Arm, Centaurus Arm, and Cygnus Arm; our Solar System is in a minor arm called the Orion Spur. The central hub (or central bulge) contains old stars and at least one black hole; younger stars are in the arms, along with dust and gas that form new stars.

The great rift is a series of dark, obscuring dust clouds in the Milky Way. These clouds stretch from the constellation Sagittarius to the constellation Cygnus.

The Milky way Galaxy is just one galaxy in a group of galaxies called the Local Group. Within the Local Group, the Milky Way Galaxy is moving about 300 km/sec (towards the constellation Virgo). The Milky Way Galaxy is moving in concert with the other galaxies in the Local Group (the Local Group is defined as those nearby galaxies that are moving in concert with each other, independent of the "Hubble flow" expansion).

Harlow Shapley (November 2, 1885- October 20, 1972), an American astronomer, was the first person to estimate the size of the Milky Way Galaxy, as well as our position in the galaxy (about 1918).

S.SEKAR, Chennai, India.

Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

THINKING "OUT OF THE BOX"

Many hundreds of years ago in a small Italian town, a merchant had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to the moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the merchant's beautiful daughter so he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the merchant's debt if he could marry the daughter. Both the merchant and his daughter were horrified by the proposal.The moneylender told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty bag. The girl would then have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become the moneylender's wife and her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the merchant's garden. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick her pebble from the bag.

CASE STUDY:

What would you have done if you were the girl?

If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.

2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the moneylender as a cheat.

3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral and logical thinking.

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles. "Oh, how clumsy of me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked." Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an Impossible situation into an advantageous one.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution, sometimes we have to think about them in a different way. Winners don’t do different things. They do things differently.

We shall see how Logical thinking is different from Lateral thinking in the following paragraphs.
What is logic?
We can see a few examples.
Gold will Glitter. But all that Glitters is not gold.
Milk is white in colour but all that is White is not Milk.

What is Logical thinking? It is thinking “Out of the Box”. It helps Children to become ‘Smarter’. Logical thinking is an important foundation skill. Unfortunately its role in learning is grossly underestimated and its role in overcoming learning difficulties is neglected. Logical thinking is the process in which one uses reasoning consistently to come to a conclusion. Problems or situations that involve logical thinking call for structure, for relationships between facts, and for chains of reasoning that “make sense”.

Logical thinking is a very important skill that must be taught. Logical thinking is thinking in terms of causes and consequences, which in turn means that it is sequential thinking. Logical thinking means following a train of thought. It is like looking into and predicting the future: If this happens, then what will happen. However this has nothing to do with fortune telling. It is based on the interpretation of certain prevalent conditions and then predicting what will happen if the conditions continue to prevail.

Logical thinking is in a way the opposite of short term memory. Short-term memory is the skill that enables one to keep track of the immediate past. Logical thinking allows one to keep track of the immediate future. The two skills are closely connected. The person who has a poor short-term memory will therefore naturally have a weak ability to think logically because the one leads to another.

The ability to think logically is of immense importance in our daily lives. Day after day, from moment to moment, we are busy interpreting available evidence and making predictions on what will happen next.

Logical thinking is not only of great importance in our everyday lives, but also a skill that is indispensable for children in school. Very little of what happens in any learning situation is not dependant on logical thinking. It is therefore of the utmost importance that parents should as early in life as possible teach their children this very important skill.

Lateral thinking is specifically concerned with changing preconceived notions to bring out new ideas and can be acquired and practised as a skill. It is a special information handling process like Mathematics, logical analysis or computer simulation. Thinking techniques once mastered, can be used both individually and in a group, dispensing with brainstorming. Here unconventionality clearly comes to the fore.

Lateral thinking can save your life as illustrated in this story. Two men were on a jungle safari in Africa. Suddenly, they came across a tiger that started roaring. Both men were frightened and one of them started wearing his shoes. The other one said: How is this going to help?” We can’t outrun the tiger. The first man replied: “I don’t have to outrun the tiger; I only have to outrun you”.

Let all of us start teaching our children on Logical thinking right from their formative years. In this way we will reap benefits as the child grows up thinking “out of the box”.

Be Blissful.
S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com
Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. ~Newt Gingrich
Focus on: Action not Intension; Result Not Effort; Outcomes Not Activities;

Think Economically-Act Environmentally.
Working together Works – Aligning Capabilities

INTERESTING FACTS IN TRADITIONAL HINDU MARRIAGE

Kasi Yatra - The Bride Groom Pretends to leave for Kashi but the Bride's Father stops him.

Malai Matral - Both the Bride and the Groom exchange Garlands to symbolise their unification.

Oonjal - They sit on a Swing which represents the ups and downs of life.

Mangala Dharanam - The boy ties the mangala sutra around her neck.

Saptapadi - They take seven steps to promise the following:

You have become my companion, whereby I acquire your friendship. We shall remain together inseparable. Let us make a vow together, we shall share love, share the same food (In different plates), share the strengths (giving the synergy). We shall be of the same mind. We shall observe the vows together.

Reception - Spend an evening with him and her (Bride groom and the Bride).

Hope you enjoyed reading the above details on Hindu Traditional Marriage. It is really nice to follow the tradition which our forefathers have left us which treads us into the righteous path and also gives us peace, security and Happiness.

Call us. We care for you. We give advice on every detail for a smooth function. We go by the paradigm that “the customer is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it.”


Be Well. Be Blissful.

Good Day.
S.SEKAR
Email: sekrajc@yahoo.com
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/Sekar1
Blogsite: http://ssekar.blogspot.com/
Working together Works - Aligning Capabilities

SMILE! SMILE! SMILE! YOU WILL SUCCEED

A Smile costs you nothing and by putting up a smiling face you can enter into fruitful relationships with other people. A smiling person is welcomed by one and all in the society. A simple smile takes you from nowhere to anywhere.

A smile costs nothing but gives much. It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it and none is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it. Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you a smile. Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile as much as he who has no more to give.

Smiling is infectious,

You can catch it like the flu.

Someone smiled at me today,

And I started smiling too.

Smile. Have you ever noticed how easily puppies make human friends? Yet all they do is wag their tails and fall over.

Smile. It is a simple act, but sometimes takes a lot of effort. A smile can cause boundaries to melt, hearts to warm up, and distances to reduce. Why don't we smile more often? Is it too tough to smile? The answer lies in our attitude towards life. If we are more accepting of situations, we will be able to smile more easily. Here are some inspiring smile quotes. Always wear a smile. Remember, without your smile, your attire is incomplete.

Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles. You're never fully dressed without a smile. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. If you see a friend without a smile; give him one of yours.

What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure, but scattered along the life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable. The shortest distance between two people is a smile. To receive a smile, give one away.

If you’re not using your smile, you’re like a man with a million dollars in the bank and no checkbook. Smile, don’t frown. Look up, don’t look down. Believe in yourself. Don’t let yourself go. Just be who you are and let your live flow.

Your relationship skills are much more important than your professional skills. A person who performs his duties happily always gets quick promotion than his other colleagues. A smile on your face while at work is a guarantee that you will get promotion out of turn as everyone will recommend your name and no one will oppose it.

A lively smile on your face is going to give others a positive impression of your personality as a friendly person. People will like to associate with you. Your circle of friends will grow fast without any effort on your part.

If you are feeling depressed due to any reason think of a past joyful event in your life and smile. Smile relieves tension and creates a positive mind frame enabling you to reach at the best solution of the problem without being swayed away by the false fears and unfounded doubts.

Smile attracts happiness and no doubt a happy person is a successful person. Keep on smiling to attract more happiness and success in your life.

If this article brings smile to your face then please refer it to your friends particularly to those who have forgotten to smile. Let there be smiling faces all over the world and happiness all around.

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

TEACHER’S DAY

Today is Teachers Day. (5-09-2010). Let us appreciate a Teacher's contribution to the society.

Teachers make a great contribution to the Society by not just helping students achieve success in life, but also in terms of inculcating rational thought and good human values in the impressionable young minds.

A life of Joy and happiness is possible only on the basis of knowledge and science. This knowledge comes from the teacher to the student. Great teachers don't just teach, they are mentors, advisors, role models, guides, and above all, shapers of great human beings. To sum it up I wish to add a few words as under:-

"A Good Teacher Explains
A Great Teacher Inspires"

A Teacher is the third most important person to be worshipped after Mother and Father. The order of worship goes like this: Mother – Father – Teacher – God. Matha Pitha Guru Deva is the saying that goes. It is the Teacher who inculcates Good habits right from Childhood, imparts knowledge to the Child and fulfils the curiosity of the Child by Play way method of Teaching. This will be carried on by the Child from his formative years to adulthood. A teacher should be an Icon and an Idol for the child as he undergoes the learning process by listening and playing with the teacher in his formative years.

There is a saying that what you cannot inculcate by the age of Five will not be cultivated even when you turn Fifty. This is true and should be remembered by all. The passion for teaching helps the teacher contribute more and more for the students and create future leaders in our society. For this to happen we should respect all the teachers and give them credit for their services. This will be a Win-Win situation where the teacher and the taught will benefit mutually. Thus the Teaching fraternity should be regarded and not discarded.

A teacher imparts Knowledge to the child. As you may be aware, Knowledge is Power, Knowledge is Strength and Knowledge is Wealth. We should have great regard towards our teachers and keep them in high esteem which in turn makes the teacher give more and more and stretch himself that extra mile by way of passing the knowledge to the student. Come on all teachers. Lets us be an Inspiration to others.

Wishing every teacher A Very Happy Teacher’s Day.

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

UNEASY STATE OF MIND

“Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed.”
“One who has control over the mind is tranquil in heat and cold, in pleasure and pain, and in honor and dishonor; and is ever steadfast with the Supreme Self.”
……………………… BHAGAVAD GITA

In the Udoya Parva of Mahabharata, Vidhura tries to comfort an anxious and disturbed Dhritarashtra with words of Wisdom that encapsulate the code of ethics – applicable to rulers and individuals alike. Dhritarashtra had sent Sanjaya to Yudhistra to seek peace without giving back Indraprastha to the Pandavas.

Destiny is difficult to cross. It is said that when destiny wishes to protect, there will dawn good sense on the person who will then choose to adhere to the path of Dharma. Conversely, when an individual is destined to suffer, the good sense abdicates and he chooses to tread the unrighteous path. This was the situation of Dhritarashtra who was now a victim of a greater handicap, inner blindness that deprived him of the sense of Dharma.

When Sanjaya returned, he did not mince words to convey his disapproval of the unrighteous and selfish attitude of the king. He said he would convey Yudhishtra’s message the next day as he was exhausted after the mission. Dhritarashtra’s uneasy state of mind at that juncture typifies that of any individual who is still reactive though not responsive to the instinct for righteousness.

Vidhura points out to Dhritarashtra that Yudhishtra has always regarded the king as his own father and respected him. But the king’s attachment to Duryodhana and the kingdom was stronger and deluded him to abandon the path of Dharma. Dhritarashtra cannot hope to get Success if he did not have the heart to view the Pandavas also as his progeny and stopped discriminating. Dhritarashtra is an escapist. If he had adhered to Dharma he would have been able to avert the war. His sleeplessness was caused because he covets another’s wealth or kingdom. If he gave back the Pandavas their due, he could sleep well.

The wise always pray for the ability to use the intellect/ good sense at all times, and especially when crucial decisions have to be taken. Arjuna, who was confused about the war, pleaded with Lord Krishna (Bagavad Gita, Chapter 2) to advise him and lead him through the right path that would be beneficial. Lord Krishna, during the course of his most interesting and instructive talk with Arjuna, revealed the profound, sublime and soul-stirring spiritual truths, and expounded to him the rare secrets of Yoga, Vedanta, Bhakti and Karma. All the teachings of Lord Krishna were subsequently recorded as Bhagavad Gita by Bhagavan Vyasa for the benefit of Humanity at large.

It should be borne in mind that only those who are self-controlled and are endowed with faith can reap the full benefit of the Gita, which is the Science of the Soul.

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

COMPASSION AS BHAKTI

Today we will see how a person should be compassionate to others. This act itself becomes Bhakti. Please see the following information which I am pleased to share with you all.

To imbibe the essence of scriptures is a great challenge and demands a similar ability as that of a Swan that can sift only the milk even when it is mixed with water.

Depending on the three Gunas – Satva, Rajas and Tamas – each individual’s actions assume value. For instance, a person may offer worship to the Lord with love, but may be also filled with pride or envy because of ignorance (Tamas). Another might worship God with the hope of material benefits, fame or wealth, and such a person is motivated by Rajas. Those who worship Him with the sole desire to get liberated will automatically be devoid of the sense of I and Mine and aim to be detached from worldly attractions. This type of devotion is of the Satvic type.

The highest type is when the three modes are transcended and there are no ulterior motives. Overcoming the influence of the senses and practicing an austere way of life with no attachment to the worldly pulls, a person becomes an exponent of Bhakti Yoga. The Lord says that such a person instantly approaches Him just as the sense of smell catches the aroma when it is carried by air from its source.

The Lord focuses on easy ways that teach one to perceive God realistically based on One’s attitude of mind rather than on practice of austerities or rituals. One has to develop a sense of compassion and this happens when one is able to see the presence of God in the entire range of creation. Then all actions automatically become an offering to God. Even watering a plant with a thought for it to grow well is an act of kindness. When there is drought and we scramble for water, if one seeks to also share the water with a withering plant, then it is an act of compassion.

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekarajc@yahoo.com

CHILDHOOD

The joy of childhood is immeasurable. We should feel lucky that we had experienced something called childhood.

The joy of getting into the right college. The thrill of bringing home your first pay cheque. The warm glow of a picture-perfect wedding day. The fulfillment of building a better life for your family is a thing which stands in your mind eternally. The transformation that goes on from being a child and becoming an adult from passing out of the portals of an institution and getting a life partner after marriage and building a bond in the family.

There is a saying that we can see god in every child as god can be seen in the smile of a child. Though I say that childhood is an important factor in everyone’s life, I didn’t have the opportunity of a memorable childhood. That shows up in your life when you grow old and you don’t tend to show any pleasure when you see a child unless under compelling situations. I am doubly convinced that it is the solemn duty of every parent to show affection and give their children all the happiness even during the formative years and continue the same eternally. This creates an indelible impression on the child about their parents and grows into a bond which will last for ever.

Childhood is a stage like “ignorance is bliss” and where you aren’t exposed enough to the harsh realities. The world appears to be a very good place. When we reach adulthood, like it was said, all this innocence gets lost and we get to face a harsh and a stern test with reality. Then you reach a stage of saturation where you get to feel that you can get the good things out of life and ignore the bad. So this feeling can again drive us back to childhood days, the difference is that we have attained an understanding. So we would start to cherish those lighter moments and ignore the bad ones. The one who attains this faster will have a chance to see the world yet again full of unimaginable kind of magnificence.

A memory is a photograph taken by the heart to make a special moment that will last for ever. Childhood memories are such beautiful feelings, which can excite anyone. It’s something, which puts smile on your face and you crave to go back to those lovely days. I know it’s not possible to go back into your sweet childhood days again, but you can definitely cheer your life with those lovely memories. Childhood memories are some of our most precious memories we possess. Certain people like our parents and grand parents played a pivotal role in the creation of those memories.

Lastly, what is it about our childhood that as adults we tend to look back at so many fond memories? I don’t think that it has anything to do with being born rich or poor, but rather just being a child exploring everything new. When we reflect on our childhood, we tend to forget the bad, and only think of all the good times. We think of the close bond we had with our parents, our brothers and sisters as may be the case. Festivals, Functions and birthdays are especially the fond memories that you may recall. We always say things just aren’t the same anymore. That is true. They are not. We are not children anymore, and to say that things are not the same, it is only to us that it feels that way.

As parents we should give our children happiness and see joy in their faces under all circumstances. Remember it is not only the child but you also can have fond memories in your old age. Let all of us remember the proverb “As you sow, so you reap” and create harmony at home and make our children happy for only in happiness we attain bliss.

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

ARE YOU A CONVERSATIONALIST ON LiNKEDiN?

As part of my social media monitoring research I have also analyzed the conversation activity on LinkedIn. Conversations happen at Group, Poll and Answer level. For groups I focused attention on certain groups to find out how good a tool LinkedIn is to leverage the knowledge of the crowd.

Here are some remarkable results:
Groups: 78% of all discussion posts remain UNANSWERED. 15% have less than 5 answers.

Polls: 71% of polls get between 1 and 20 votes. Only 2% remain unanswered!

Answers: Only 12% go “Unanswered” while 44% get less than 5 and 35% between 6 and 20 answers.

The group statistics intrigued me and asked for some more explanation. I challenged a few groups by posting a discussion about the fact that LinkedIn Groups are a waste of time. I got 12 answers (in 5 groups – proving my point?). I want to share the content of these answers with you:

There are the non-believers (and I am NOT one of them) because of their lack of persistence or success and they gave up.

LinkedIn is really a tool used to CONNECT with other people which explains why the post “Who will directly connect with me and I will not reject you” is the most popular discussions in a large number of groups (even worldwide!).

People are TOO BUSY to read and react to the posts or they get too many mails with updates from the groups they below to.

Discussion topics are started in the WRONG GROUP and with the wrong audience.
People feel the point of the discussion topic is either to SELL you something or to be proven right and thus refuse to react.

People do not feel comfortable SHARING their ideas or COMMENTING on ideas with strangers.
So the conclusion is really that LinkedIn is the perfect business tool to connect with other people who you might meet face-to-face to sell your product or service to but not to share ideas with on large scale online.

Enough of the negativism and let’s be positive…

In order to improve the quality of LinkedIn for you and your peers, it is my recommendation that every time you login to LinkedIn you take the time to comment on and contribute to at least one post, vote on one poll and answer one question – total time investment: 15 minutes! There will be a return on this investment by more people connecting with you which is why you were there to begin with.

Just imagine if in a group of 800 members that log on once a week and follow the recommendations from above, the wealth of information we would have access to? Is that to much to ask?

I love to hear from you with comments, feedback, push back and suggestions. You can also reach me by mail (sekrajc@yahoo.com).
How REALLY use Linked In . get real results when working with Linked in

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

TEACHING METHOD

We will see the Teaching Method of scriptures from a Guru to Sishya. It should be borne in mind that a Teacher be not only adept in his subject knowledge but also be pure in his thought and mind, a person who is alive, and should have practised the same for a certain period of time. This is very important for every student while selecting his Guru.

Spiritual knowledge has been disseminated traditionally through the Guru – Sishya (Preceptor-disciple) lineage as it is not intellectual but experiential in nature; the Sishya has to realize the truth for himself. The manner in which this instruction is given is individualistic as only a Guru will know the level of his disciple and tailor the teaching according to his capacity to understand. Besides, it was through argumentation that the disciple was lead step by step to get an intellectual grasp of the truth before he was instructed to reflect and meditate on it.

Even great sages who were self-realized engaged in debate (Vada) for the sake of clarifying their own understanding of the truth. This is similar to testing the purity of gold by rubbing it against a touchstone. Hence such debate was not engaged in to counter the opponent’s standpoint or just for the sake of dialectic. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Lord Krishna approves logical argument by asserting, “Of all types of knowledge I am the knowledge of the self, and Vada of disputants.”

In the Prasna Upanishad the questioning method is adopted to impart spiritual knowledge. Each topic taken up for analysis is called a Prasna (meaning “to question”) and there are six questions, each posed by a disciple. That they were not lay seekers is made clear right at the outset as the six disciples who approached Pippalada, the Guru, were sages from distinguished lineages known for learning and austerity.

Pippalada told them that he would answer their questions after they had spent a year with him in his hermitage with total sensory control, celibacy and faith. This is to underscore that the Guru has to be convinced about the Sishya’s sincerity of purpose, ardent desire for liberation and faith in the teaching of the scriptures. After answering all their questions Pippalada finally told them that he had taught them all that he knew and that this knowledge was so simple. Therein lies the catch because the teaching may seem very easy, yet it is very profound and liberating – a life-transforming experience. For a man of Self-realisation it may seem very simple but the process of striving is very difficult.

Let us also have a Guru who is an Acharya of the highest order (Who is pure, who is alive, who has mastered reading and knowing the Scriptures and practised the same for a certain period of time by himself ) under whose guidance we will seek the truth and knowledge of the Self. It will take time but the knowledge should gradually transcend from the Guru to the disciple over a period of time. Hope this happens sooner than later.

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

THE TRIANGLE THAT WASN'T

Rajesh and his wife Chandrika are happily married and living together and enjoying every moment of their life. Rajesh is a writer who starts writing a story for a movie and is fully involved in the same. Chandrika on the other hand is not interested in his work but enjoys his presence every moment. She has been brought up in a different society and she is bubbly and vivacious. She mixes very freely with both the sexes. Rajesh is conservative and is not appreciative of Chandrika’s behavior.

Chandrika is ignorant about this aspect of her husband moves freely with one and all. Rajesh is a good story writer and approaches a film producer Sethu who is well known in the industry for his past productions which are well received by the audience and the public, with a promise of a good script. Rajesh’s past work wins him this project. He starts preparing a story line.

At this point of time, his wife’s cousin Ganesh, who is very close to her, comes from Mumbai and lands in Chennai at their house on an official work. His arrival makes his wife very happy who insists on his staying in their house with them. Rajesh is stunned to see his wife’s reaction and her offer to Ganesh. She doesn’t even think twice to take his consent. Rajesh is torn with jealousy seeing his wife’s behaviour. She seems to be a totally different personality in the presence of Ganesh – Vibrant and lively.

Rajesh who basically suffers from an inferiority complex can’t bear to see these lively souls romping about him. Chandrika who had never been out of bed before 9 A.M. now got up early to prepare bed coffee for her cousin. How could she be so blatant in flaunting her relationship with Ganesh? Rajesh is appalled. Their images keep haunting him. He is mentally disturbed. He suddenly gets an idea. Why not weave a story around these two! Rajesh gets going. He begins his story. In the meantime the producer wants to know how far his story has proceeded. Rajesh narrates to him the beginning of his story. The producer is impressed with the beginning and asks him to complete the story at the earliest with little knowledge that the story could proceed on a day to day basis only, as it was his life story.

One fine day Ganesh remarks to Chandrika that he would have loved to marry her. It was the Family feud that came in the way. Chandrika laughingly tells him that she would have never accepted his proposal as their relationship was a friendly one. When her husband enters the house she laughingly tells him that Ganesh had once wanted to get married to her. Her husband is upset and leaves the house without informing. The next day he goes to give the script prepared by him and asks the producer’s office assistant to inform his residence that he is very busy completing the story and hence will be staying in a hotel for the next few days as he required a quiet atmosphere. This is conveyed to his wife. The producer’s assistant narrates his story to Rajesh, where his wife had actually deserted him and had run away with her lover. Soon she realized that the lover was a fraud and had come back to her husband. He had accepted her back without questioning her and this action had a profound effect on his wife who changed herself radically and had totally surrendered herself to his love. This incident lingers in Rajesh’s mind.

Rajesh comes home after a couple of days only to find a note written by his wife mentioning that she is leaving with Ganesh for Mumbai. Rajesh’s fear is complete. His wife had deserted him and gone off with her lover. His mind is in turmoil. Incidents where his wife and Ganesh frolicked together, flash in his mind. He begins to weep inconsolably. He is unable to think coherently. While he hates his wife for deserting him, he realizes that he is missing his dear wife and wants her back but he doesn’t know how to go about it.

A knock at his door jolts Rajesh and he his surprised on seeing his wife . She tells him that she had to leave for Mumbai all of a sudden with Ganesh to see his father who was on his death bed. She couldn’t inform Rajesh about this as his cell phone was switched off and the producer too was not in town. She asks Rajesh the cause for his tears. Rajesh discloses his unfounded fear to her. She tells him that he doesn’t have any faith in her which is the reason for his baseless fear. She once again reiterates that she loves only him. This makes Rajesh happy.

The next day Ganesh comes back to Chennai and tells them that he has come to the city for good. Rajesh immediately invites him to stay with them.

A Story by S.SEKAR written for IndiBlogger Contest "Soch Lo".
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com
NOTE: Wherever the name of Rajesh is mentioned to be interpreted as myself so that the narration of story will suit the purpose.

WHAT IS LOVE

Love is never having to say that you are sorry. There is a distinct difference between the words Love and Lust. If you get instant love for someone then it is called lust and will not last long. Lust will create negative thoughts where as love creates positive thoughts.

It’s always better to tell your love to someone with whom you are really in love. Then only you can never say sorry about love. It can be seen that a relationship is based on trust and honesty. However, being honest in a relationship can be a challenge.

The famous psychologist Dr Eric Berne has written a book on “Games People Play” using transactional analysis. Most people call love the game that people play, but it is more than that. It is the strength of all relationships and the weakness too. It’s all about one’s ability to maintain the relationship. In addition to love in the relationship the two pillars that hold them (people) together are ‘Trust’ and ‘Honesty’.

One should have the will power to forgive and forget about happenings as you might have to let go many things to sustain a relationship. To what extent that you can give up to maintain a relationship has to be decided by you as there is always a doubt about how much is more or less.

As one gets into a relationship, there are a lot of things that you begin to discover about your partner and at the same time you can disclose about yourself to them for creating a good understanding. This is the most crucial stage as acceptance of who you are as well as your partner, happens at this stage. Once the relationship gets stronger, it becomes easier to bond and your love becomes the strength of the relationship.

Relationships have to be built on trust for love to ever be a part of it. Trust is an action of love. When you love someone you are willing to trust them with little things and it is also necessary as it helps maintain the relation in the long run.

The thought of love has infinite letters. The truth has only four. Often, in Love, the letters are heavy, the feeling is not. And the lightness is palpable. Our Indian films have ingrained that in our system. So have our Swamis. This is why we laugh through every rejection. We even love the rebuffs.

Let our love for others be a true love so that it is enduring. Love is bliss. Be blissful.

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

CONTROLLING THE MIND

The act of controlling is to keep within limits. The mind has to be controlled by way of keeping our thought process within limits. The well being of a person is inseparable from mind control and people all over the world are interested in the same. Ways of controlling the mind are open to all kinds of people (atheists, believers, agnostics and those indifferent to religion). The true believer in God may be at an advantage in that genuine love of God can to a considerable degree simplify his problems with the mind. Vedanta and Yoga have much to teach about the nature of the mind and the ways of controlling it.

Control of mind is an inner game. If you have a sportsman’s attitude you will thoroughly enjoy it, even while apparently losing. In the playing, this game takes a great deal of skill, alertness, sense of humour, goodness of heart, sense of strategy, patience and some heroic flair which makes it possible not to get disheartened in the face of a hundred failures. Our will to control the mind can never be strong until and unless we have deliberately and irrevocably renounced pleasure as one of the main pursuits of our life. By renunciation of the pursuit of pleasure is not meant renunciation of the pursuit of joy or bliss. It is the enjoyment of the sense pleasure from which we have to get ourselves detached.

Non-control of mind effectively obstructs integration of personality. A person of uncontrolled mind will always have a tendency to abnormal developments or to mental disintegration through internal conflict. Even under the most favourable circumstances he will not realize his potential or fulfill expectations. One who has no control over his mind cannot have peace of mind. One, who has no peace of mind, cannot have happiness. If he is the head of a household, indiscipline, disorder, delinquency, and wretched human relationships leading to family misfortunes are likely to prevail. On the other hand a controlled mind can easily be concentrated. Through concentration of mind one gains knowledge and knowledge is power. To develop a strong will to control the mind, we must teach our own minds that, without it, we are nowhere.

Vedanta traces the pleasure-motive in man to his metaphysical root, ananda or bliss, the ultimate fact of existence from which man is essentially non different.

The Upanishad teaches:
That which is known as the self-creator is verily the source of joy; for one becomes happy by coming in contact with that source of joy. Who, indeed, will inhale, and who will exhale, if this Bliss be not there in the supreme space (within the heart). This one, indeed, enlivens (people). Taittiriya Upanishad.
Certainly all beings here are, indeed, born from Bliss (ananda); having been born they remain alive by bliss; and on departing they enter into Bliss.

The very root of man’s existence being bliss, it is but natural that he should instinctively seek to feel identified with it. But when he is ignorant and is identified with body and mind, he seeks it ignorantly in the body and mind and not where it is – in the spirit. This wrong seeking of bliss in a wrong place gives rise to our pleasure-motive and its resultant bondage. Matter (food) is convertible into mind, though we may not have realized that this is so.

The mind has the power of looking back into itself. With the help of the mind we can analyze the mind, and see what is going on in the mind. The mind is a compound of three substantive forces called gunas, Viz sattva, rajas and tamas. These gunas are also the basic constituents of the entire universe, physical and mental. Sattva is the principle of poise conducive to purity, knowledge and joy. Rajas is the principle of motivity, leading to activity, desire, and restlessness. Tamas is the principle of inertia resulting in inaction, dullness and delusion. Tamas causes the mind to move on a low level; rajas scatters the mind and makes it restless and sattva gives it a higher direction.

The constitution of individual minds is determined by the various combinations and permutations of these gunas. This explains the varieties in human nature and also the vacillating nature of the mind. The three planes of conscious, subconscious and superconscious all belong to the same mind. There are not three minds in one man but three levels on which the mind operates. The question of controlling the mind relates only to the conscious plane, where the mind is normally accompanied by the feeling of egoism. We cannot directly control the subconscious mind unless we are established in Yoga. The question of controlling the mind on the superconcious plane does not arise. But the superconscious plane can be reached only by those who have controlled their minds on the conscious and subconscious planes.

By practicing the disciplines of yoga the same mind can be ‘gathered’ and made ‘one pointed’. The whole purpose of mind control is to make the mind one-pointed. When such a mind is applied to any sphere of activity, in that it shines. A businessman with a one-pointed mind will prosper in business; a musician with a one–pointed mind will become a great musician; a scientist with a one-pointed mind will become a celebrated scientist. Through the practice and development of one-pointedness, the mind reaches the fifth or highest condition, called ‘concentrated’. In this condition superconciousness is attained.

To succeed in controlling the mind one must have, in addition to a strong will, faith in one self. Sri Krsna says in the Gita that one must oneself subdue one’s weakness and raise oneself by oneself. This teaching must be practiced by one who intends to control his mind. Thus the mind will have to be controlled by the mind itself. The difficulties which we experience in controlling the mind are created by our own mind. Mind cannot be controlled by artificial means for any length of time. Deliberate, patient, intelligent, systematic hard work according to tested and suitable disciplines is needed.

To be able to practice the disciplines leading to the control of the mind we need to create a favorable inner climate by consciously accepting certain inevitables of life. As per Buddha’s teachings (Anguttara Nikaya) the five things that must be contemplated by all men and women, householders as well as bhikkus are as under.
1. Old age will come upon me some day and I cannot avoid it.
2. Disease can come upon me some day and I cannot avoid it.
3. Death will come upon me some day and I cannot avoid it.
4. All things that I hold dear are subject to change and decay and separation, and I cannot

avoid it.
5. I am the outcome of my own deeds and whatever be my deeds, good or bad, I shall be heir

to them.
By contemplating old age the pride of youth can be curbed, or at least reduced; by contemplating disease the pride of health can be curbed, or at least reduced; by contemplating death the pride of life is curbed, or at least reduced; by contemplating the change and separation of all things dear, the passionate desire for possession is curbed, or at least reduced; and by contemplating that one is the result of one’s own deeds, the evil propensities of thought, word and deed are curbed, or at least reduced. One who contemplates these five things can curb, or at least reduce his pride and passion and thus be able to tread the path of Nirvana.

The practice of these teachings of Buddha will indirectly help in the purification of the mind.

There is no greater blessing in life than a controlled state of mind. Let us do our very best to acquire it, for this will lead us to the greatest of blessings. The entire secret of controlling the mind is given by Sri Krsna in the two words abhyasa and vairagya, practice and dispassion. Mind-control is greatly helped by the practice of meditation, and meditation by mind-control.

I am happy to share with all the readers that the control of the mind is not a problem peculiar to religious aspirants; people in all walks of life need to control their minds if they are to succeed in their work. For the uplift of an individual and the community it is necessary to have a controlled mind.

Hope you enjoyed reading this. Be blissful.
S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

CHARISMA

Charisma is a personal attractiveness that enables you to influence others. It is also a personal appeal that one has and this attracts others like a magnet. A charismatic person enchants others around him and creates a personal appeal.

They are able to influence others and win friends by their charm and grace and have a great number of followers. If we study the history, we can find that most of the greatest leaders possessed a star quality that drew others to them. Winston Churchill, Napoleon Bonaparte, Martin Luther King, Mohandas karamchand Gandhi and M G Ramachandran had a magnetism which is often easier to identify than to explain. Greeks noticed this first and named it ‘Kharisma’. This is a rare trait including extreme charm along with innate and powerfully sophisticated communication and persuasive skills.

We can call it a brand image or building a logo or Icon for themselves. In our contemporary mundane world where people are “buying” brands (IPL in India has become a brand) and personalities, over products, charisma continues to be as important as it used to be during the early Greek era. Of late the large and small corporations have started to understand this concept and tend to believe that success begins at the grassroots or at an individual level. Classic example is the panchayati raj set up envisioned by the congress party of India which will enable the party to have a firm foundation by slowly building this system.

Corporations have started realizing that charismatic leaders are the ones who are able to connect with subordinates and with customers at a deeper level, creating memorable experiences for them. They pay much attention to the person they are talking to at any one moment, making that person feel like they are, for that time, the most important person in the world. They acknowledge that it is not just operational abilities, but charisma that would differentiate in the longer term.

We shall see what it takes to be a charismatic leader:-

All charismatic personalities have a common trait in taking the leadership in society without asking for the same. They have enormous faith in themselves added with immense patience which is enduring. They work unselfishly for the upliftment of the society. They accept the result which comes from their own decisions. They feel emotions themselves quite strongly and induce them in others and they are impervious to the influences of other charismatic people.

Charismatic leaders almost always have a view of the future that will excite people and convert them to followers. They often talk about bold and lofty visions and share a dream and direction that other people want to share and follow. Thus we can see a bold viewpoint emanating out of them.

To be a charismatic leader one should be an excellent speaker. By that it means, Charismatic leaders not only walk the talk, but they even talk the talk. By saying that I mean they embrace every opportunity to convince others towards their vision. They always make it a point to speak in such a way as to create trust and personal integrity.

If we observe in close quarters we can see that charismatic leaders do things calmly and have enormous patience in built in them. They send out the right signals through every one of their actions. They consciously act in ways that make others feel great in their presence. They let people know that they matter and that they enjoy being around them; through their upright posture, direct eye contact, genuine smile and firm handshake. They always make an effort to appear enthusiastic and passionate through their body language and articulate speech.

Lastly it is the commitment that matters in all charismatic personalities. Charismatic leaders are always visible and will stand up to be counted rather than hide behind their troops. They make continued efforts to motivate and rally their followers, constantly doing the rounds, listening, soothing and enthusing. It is their unswerving commitment as much as anything else that keeps people going, particularly through the darker times when some may question whether the vision can ever be achieved.

Be blissful.
S.Sekar
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

I have decided to write on this topic due to the resultant effect that comes out of a person waiting for Authority to be given, which makes him inefficient in reality.

You may be aware that the term “Management” is defined as the art of getting things done through other people. It is one of the skills that a leader should possess for getting the best results from his team. Leadership is all about using your strengths to achieve the stated objectives. Some people are mature and know this instinctively and the rest discover this during the course of their life’s journey.

I always look at people who want to prove their mettle. The qualities I look for are – motivational levels, Speed, passion, curiosity, partnership, ownership without owning, integrity, etc... I am of the view that with so many young people around, we’ll never fall short of good talent in the days to come. The younger generation has great attitude and leadership qualities. They’re willing to go that extra mile and stretch themselves ever willing to take on responsibilities.

Responsibility is always relegated, be it in corporate circles or at home and in the work place. In your appointment order too when defining your role, your responsibilities too will be mentioned. No where can you find any mention made about your authority. Thus we come to a situation where we are in confrontation with no clarity on authority. As you keep questioning yourself constantly, you will get an answer to any problem that you may face in your daily life. On dwelling deeply, we will come to know that Authority is always taken in tune with our responsibility. Thus we can conclude that Authority is the one always taken and responsibility is the one given.

In our daily mundane life, we can see that the output from some people is less than others as they take life easy and don’t fell responsible for their work. This results in losing their authority on others and hence a poor performance compared to the one who shoulders his responsibility and also feels accountable for what has happened. Thus one should be accountable, responsible, reliable and billable if he has to exercise his authority on others.

We can see a paradigm shift in the attitude in today’s Managers (who are the leaders of tomorrow) while shouldering the Responsibility and Authority.

We will see more of such management terms in the days to come. Be blissful.

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com

INNOVATION

The term innovation means a creation (a new device or process) resulting from study and experimentation. The creation of something in the mind leads to innovation. It can be termed as conception or design of something

Picture of Usain Bolt taken during Beijing Olympics in 2008. In 2009 he became the first man to hold the 100 and 200 m world and Olympic titles at the same time. His record breaking margin in 100 m is the highest since the start of digital time measurements. His achievements in sprinting have earned him the media nickname "'Lightning Bolt".

Thus we can see that all the modern races are won in the mind even before the actual race begins. I saw this very much in the Beijing Olympics in the face of Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt Who bagged the maximum number of gold medals in athletics during the event.
In organizations the management must take an active role by learning to identify individuals with a creative bent, encouraging their special attributes and skills, and providing them with a challenging work environment. Innovation is an essential ingredient of economic and social growth. It helps to increase productivity by generating new products, processes, and services and is instrumental in creating new and better jobs, reducing production costs, and increasing personal incomes. Without innovation, prices tend to rise, employment declines, and competition from foreign goods increases. On careful analysis we can find that there has always been a large reservoir of untapped creative talent waiting to be utilised. The trick is for technical managers to learn how to recognise innovative individuals and to draw out their talent to the fullest extent.

Characteristics of an innovator

Few topics spark more spirited debate than that of the nature of innovation. But it is generally agreed that whereas an inventor develops a new idea, device, or process, the innovator brings about changes by introducing new methods. The innovator may or may not originate the new idea involved in the change, but he is the one who brings the idea to the market place and achieves some degree of acceptance.

Although the basic concept of innovation is quite simple, the creative process by which it occurs defies a cut-and-dried explanation. There is agreement, however, that the crucial factor involved is the unique combination of drives and qualities that characterizes the personality of the innovator.

A penchant for innovation exists in varying degrees in many engineers. But most of them succumb to compromises in their careers relative to their desire for money or position. But these motivations are not important to the innovator, who may or may not realize such rewards as a result of his ground breaking actions. In addition, the innovator has persistence, confidence, and a can do attitude that transcends all other considerations. He has a gut feeling that what he is doing is right, and he tries doggedly to get others to go along with him. Accordingly, an innovative person is questioning, competitive, pugnacious, and sometimes not pleasant to work with.

Such attributes are somewhat of a paradox for the typical engineer, who generally is an introvert. Nonetheless, the technical innovator maintains the courage of his convictions and makes the effort necessary to become a salesman. The strength of such characteristics is most evident when an innovator must find acceptance or a market for his pet idea.

Increasing your potential for innovation

An innovative engineer uses knowledge and skills in new ways, as opposed to merely following the directives or blue prints someone else has drawn up. He must possess creativity, determination, and the courage to break new ground. He understands the needs of the market he is trying to serve, so that his efforts usually produce useful results.

Unlike the merely creative person who focuses on generating new ideas, the innovator must turn his ideas into reality. Thus, he must become the advocate of a particular product in pursuing his idea from conception to application. To develop the skills necessary to accomplish this task an engineer should:

Ø Be product oriented, know the market needs of the company and position himself to be able to fill those needs
Ø Synthesize all relevant information when addressing a problem.
Ø Know where to get information that is not on hand
Ø Work within a tight budget
Ø Set goals according to realistic schedules
Ø Keep track of all the details of a project, either personally or through others.
Ø Make decisions and judgments no sooner or later than they are required.
Ø Supervise personnel fairly.
Ø Contribute to, and learn from, the people worked with.
Ø Learn from personal mistakes and from the mistakes of others.
Ø Communicate effectively.

An engineer does not have to be directly involved in all aspects of product development. However, he must be able to carry out any of the phases should the need arise. Thus, an understanding of each of these responsibilities is as essential to an engineer fulfilling the role of innovator as it is to an engineer functioning as an ordinary designer or manager.

Also, the innovative engineer recognizes the value of keeping abreast of various technologies, including those not directly related to their current projects. Such an on-going education produces a vast repertoire of knowledge to draw upon as needed. Also, it helps avoid the trap of becoming too deeply involved in a single area of expertise, only to find later that such specialized skills have become outdated.

Gearing a staff for innovation

Most engineering recruiters and managers agree that finding innovative engineers versed in several engineering disciplines is not easy today. They believe that the sense of responsibility, resourcefulness, and breadth of technical knowledge held by engineers a decade ago far exceeds that of today’s counterparts.

One obvious place to look for innovators is among the graduates of engineering colleges. Unfortunately, many graduates do not understand what is involved in being a practicing engineer, let alone comprehend the intricacies of being an engineering innovator. As a result, many engineering graduates aspire to little more than attaining some measure of personal financial comfort.

Engineering managers can compensate for this situation by carefully evaluating candidates for innovation potential before filling staff positions. This screening process should subject applicants to tests that would evaluate their technical training (or experience), their ability to handle stress, and their willingness to take risks. Such tests will reveal whether the individual has a dynamic and clear- cut sense of direction or is merely looking for an un-imaginative pigeonhole in a mundane company project.

Managers can also improve the innovation potential of their engineering staff by placing entry-level engineers in challenging positions under the guidance of senior-level engineers. This will ensure satisfaction and build confidence among newcomers, while preparing them to take on more difficult assignments in the future. Some measures an innovation-minded department should consider are:

1. Formal in-house training programs that will expose engineers to marketing, production, and other disciplines.
2. Department restructuring that will allow newcomers to work under a senior engineer or “mentor,” or with a group of highly experienced engineers who can teach the new engineers sound technical methods.
3. Job assignments that capture the flavour of the old-fashioned project engineer, as opposed to assignments that demand excessive specialization.

Remuneration is also important. No engineer can be expected to develop his innovative powers to the fullest if he feels that his efforts are not fully appreciated. This problem is reflected in the compression of engineering salaries which has occurred over the past several years. Innovate engineers usually owe at least part of their motivation to employers who recognise the value of their work.

India and innovation

By exploiting its significant strengths in knowledge-based resources, India can leapfrog to the innovation-driven stage and reap a higher rate of growth. India’s world-class engineering and business schools offer opportunities to export higher knowledge in specialised fields. India must exploit its investments in human capital by positioning itself as an innovation-driven economy focussed on knowledge-based industries. In 2008, India’s e-learning exports totalled $350 Million. India has significant strengths in knowledge-based resources. (For example; Product development, drug development, JV in hospitals, Health and Wellness, Proprietary software, Higher education and Virtual learning). By exploiting them, India can move its economy to the innovation-driven stage and reap a higher rate of growth.


Having dwelt with innovation in the previous paragraphs, we can now see what it takes to innovate as given below:-

The problem with traditional engineering departments may well be that their managers have neglected ‘critical-function-staffing’. Apart from whatever technical disciplines are necessary, five functional positions must be filled in every engineering group if profitable innovation is to occur.

· Idea generator – the creative sparkplug who comes up with new, bright ideas for developing new products and processes.
· Entrepreneur – the person who picks up the idea, whether it is his own or someone else’s, and champions it within the company.
· Gatekeepers – people who perform several specialized roles. The technical gatekeeper bridges the gap between the inside organization and the outside world of technology; the market gatekeeper understands what the competition is doing, what the regulators are up to, and what is happening in the marketplace; and the manufacturing gatekeeper knows enough about the environment of the manufacturing plant to keep technical colleagues up to date on the realities of materials, processes, and labour skills.
· Program manager – the person, who formally or informally plans, coordinates, supervises, and integrates the roles and contributions of the others in the department.
· Sponsor – a sort of “godfather” in the organization who provides protection, encouragement, and other help to those trying to push the new ideas forward.

Based on this breakdown, it is clearly not enough to focus on the technical backgrounds of members assembled in the engineering team. Such information provides little insight into the key attributes of individuals that are needed to perform the vital, unassigned functions that are essential to innovation.

In the light of the foregoing, we find that innovation leads to job creation, productivity improvement, market leadership etc... All of us have the wherewithal in our human brain system but the antenna in our brain is not used properly to get the full effect of innovation. Let all of us come out with our innovative ideas and put that to work in order to achieve the end results desired. In the first instance we witnessed the industrial revolution. We are going through the I.T. revolution from the beginning of 21st century. We will also go through the innovation revolution in the days to come. This will give us joy, satisfaction and fulfillment which will also clearly reflect in the faces of people in the society.

Be blissful.
S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com
Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did. ~Newt Gingrich

HAPPINESS

Happiness is in the state of our mind. One can’t buy happiness from somewhere. One has to feel happy with himself. Happiness is unique. It may mean different things to different people. But everyone is looking for happiness which is an enigma.


There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way and is the inner feeling you derive when you are at peace with yourself and know that you have done all you can to make a difference. When you are competing just with yourself and when you have done all you can, there is a feeling of inner satisfaction called happiness.


Vedanta philosophy says that happiness is the very core of our being. Though we also seem to derive happiness from external objects or experiences, even after the object or experience is gained, we continue to search for happiness.


Vedanta suggests that in our consciousness, there always exists a state of perfect peace and pure happiness. But, desire and fear may agitate our minds and obscure the happiness that always exists within. When a desire is satisfied, or the cause of a fear is removed, the surface agitation of our mind subsides and in that temporary calm, the mind recognizes its state of innate happiness.


Happiness, therefore, is a state of being and it is the activity of our mind that disturbs it from its calm state of just being and causes us to lose sight of our innermost happiness. To enjoy happiness, therefore, despite all our external distractions and disturbing thought patterns, one needs to reflect and recognize that our innermost state is that of pure bliss, consciousness or pure happiness.

The constant activity of our mind distracts us from our essential being, obscuring our awareness of the happiness that we really are. Therefore, as long as our mind is only extroverted and distracted by our thoughts and desires, we fail to experience perfect, permanent and unqualified happiness. To experience true and external happiness, Vedanta philosophy suggests that we attain the experience of true knowledge which is the clear consciousness of our own essential being.

One can’t buy happiness. You can at least inherit it. Genes control half the personality traits that make people happy, while factors such as relationships, health and careers are responsible for the rest of our well-being. We should approach life with a sense of humour.

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com
Working together Works – Aligning Capabilities

INDIBLOGGER MEET IN CHENNAI – 20th March, 2010

This was my first meet and it was a great experience than what I expected. Mr.Renie Ravin introduced himself when I entered the hall at GRT Convention centre in Chennai. The crowd that gathered which Included mostly fellow Bloggers from Chennai was superb. The interaction was quite good (for the given time) during this meet.

We can have such meets once in Six months so that the interaction and association between fellow bloggers will be much better. The presence of Press personnel from The New Indian Express, NDTV – Hindu and Zee Tamil added sheen to the event.

We took a considerable time to see how the Blog will be useful for promoting Ads. Especially UniverCell (The Sponsers) engaged the audience on promoting their product which could have been shortened by way of time. We could have spent more time on Blogging and interacted more on the various terms associated with it as given under:-

1. What is RSS feed?
2 .What do we mean by Traffic?
3. How to increase the traffic for your Blog?
4. What is a Directory and how your Blog can be connected to the directory?
5. The various ways of presenting your Blog?
6. How your name when entered in Google will take you to your Blog? What methodology to be followed?

By having a question answer session on the points mentioned above, we could have spent our time more productively and at the same time it would have been educative and useful for all the Fellow Bloggers. Perhaps we can think of doing this in the subsequent meets that we propose to organize in the days to come.

To sum it up, on the Whole (I don’t mean the other hole) the event was very good. I enjoyed this meet of Bloggers from Chennai. I hope all the others who participated would have enjoyed it too!!!!!!

Cheers to every one of you.

Thank you for your kind understanding and cooperation

S.Sekar
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com
Working together Works – Aligning Capabilities

BRANDING (BRAND BUILDING)

This topic struck me while I was washing my Car on a Sunday morning. The topic kindled interest in me and made me to go deeper and see the benefits of Brand building.

In this modern-day where distance doesn’t matter and usage of Internet and other devices makes communication and travel very easy, building a brand takes its place of significance. It is important that we build a brand for each one of us as an individual, for an organization or for something else. This is very relevant in today’s context and will make things easier to capture the attention of audience in a short time and the benefits are immense.

You can create a brand LOGO for yourself or for your organization or for your community. This perception of brand image will seep deep into the minds of people and will induce them to buy the product of that brand or Logo without even looking into the cost aspect. Thus the strength of the brand is the outcome of the results it generates by pulling the consumers and pushing the people go for the products of that brand, immaterial of the cost and price aspect.

Quality, Delivery, Point of Purchase, over the counter, Reach or Coverage and Service to customer are some of the areas to be focused and complete attention has to be given in order to derive the full benefits of branding.

Branding for an Engineering or Industrial Product

Reaching out to customers and educating them is an important aspect which follows any developmental activity. It is the customer who decides whether to go for a particular product based on the product quality, unique characteristics that the product possesses, and the awareness created by the manufacturer in instilling in his mind the features of the product. In management parallels it is called branding and it has its value.

Let us see an example. For selling an engineering product like an Industrial Valve, the company sets the ball rolling by meeting a number of personnel from various disciplines say the oil and gas industry. This also gives them the opportunity to listen and understand the client’s material requirements and to formulate a strategy to meet customers’ needs. Having tasted success, they thereafter start moving into other unexplored territories towards achieving their objective of becoming a key player and a major supplier of Valves in that region.

Then the next step is to make paper presentation in international forums like conferences and Exhibitions. This is very important and more relevant today as this is one way of building your brand. Earlier the manufacturer would only produce the item and not get involved or be interested in Exhibitions, Seminars, and Paper presentations in International forum. They remained content with their limited involvement externally. Today one has to be involved both internally and also externally to achieve success.


Branding for a Chemical Product

Branding is not restricted only to consumer goods industry. A strong brand will create significant advantage for a company in their quest to become ‘the most creditable partner and employer in the industry’. It’s like building a ‘trust’ between the company and the stakeholders. A trusted brand is the single most valuable asset of a company, which can sustain and survive the company even in the worst market downturn (conditions). At the same time the company has to actively manage on Brand.

First, there are commercial advantages – when the salespeople approach target customers, the customers already have confidence in the company. At the same time, the vendors will provide better service at a preferential cost because they are proud to have this company as their client. In addition, a strong brand gives the resilience to recover more easily from any crises which are inevitable for any large company.

Beyond these obvious benefits, a strong brand can also play a crucial role in engaging top talent. The very best people will come to join the company because they believe in the brand and what the company stands for. IBM and BASF are the companies which can be taken as examples. We can feel the pulse of the market by asking someone in the target market of the company if they know the company by name.

Awareness and confidence in a brand is created by thousands of ‘touch points’, or places where the company’s brands touch the lives of their target groups. This includes advertising, media outreach, and sales. The target groups must see the company from their actions, not just from their words. Everybody in the workforce in all units and teams must become involved in cultivating that confidence and trust.


Branding for a Consumer Product

Here the term ‘Branding’ takes a different meaning as consumer products have a lesser shelf life in general and usage of the product is frequent. People buy the product from the retailers after the products have changed hands in the marketing echelon right from the manufacturer to the OTC or the retailer.

Thus by way of branding the product, one can save enormous time in reaching the consumer. Hence we can call branding as a time saving device. Thus by managing brands and communication, the choice-making by the consumer is made simple and less traumatic. We can see that most FMCG companies release their advertisements between the month end and the beginning of following month. This is the time that middle-class India makes its monthly shopping list and sends it either to the kinara at the corner of the street or to the big bazaar in the neighbourhood. As marketers, we want the home ministers to write the brand name of the item and that is why the advertising. The brands derive their power from the way it is delivered in the media consistently with boring repetition day after day , year after year, for as long as the consumer so desires.

Brands must maintain consistency and yet evolve to stay fresh. While there are a multiplicity of ways in which the brand can reinvent itself, the most palpable and visible way is the logo. The logo has been the point of entry to the brand and perhaps the most visible part of the brand, something that consumers recall. TATA has tweaked its logo a few times over, since its inception a century ago. TATA brand is worth several Billion US dollars and is known the world over.

Sachin Tendulkar is an excellent Indian cricketer. Was it sufficient to be a fantastic cricketer? No, because there have been other fantastic cricketers in the past who have not achieved such striking commercial success as Sachin. Something else was needed and it was the modern television. But even modern TV alone would not have been enough. In 1983 India won the World cup in cricket at lords in England followed by world Championship of cricket which also India won in 1985 and thereafter world cup of 1987 was played in India and Pakistan. Despite this, nothing even remotely resembling Sachin emerged.

Something more was needed and that something came with the economic reforms of July 1991 in India – just 18 months after Sachin’s debut. Reforms led to the growth of consumerism about 1995 onwards, just six years into his career.

As product competition grew, the need for product differentiation grew; as product differentiation grew, the need for advertising grew. As these grew, the need for a cheap way of reaching out to the audiences grew, which is where TV came in. It was this combination – his cricketing prowess, modern TV and the economic reforms – that propelled Sachin forward as one of the top product endorsers in the country. The other two are both film stars – Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.


There is also the question of viewer competence. How many people who watch an ad featuring Sachin also know enough about cricket to truly appreciate Sachin’s performances? There is another question as well. Sachin does not always perform well. He went through a lean patch which was hurting India because he was not helping India win.

Finally, we don’t really know if people bought products Sachin endorsed or merely contented themselves with watching him with the brands.

Perhaps brands use celebrity endorsements as a habit. After all, where is the evidence that a Boost did better than Bournvita in terms of sales growth because it used Sachin?

I always tell my colleagues, “When you involve you will evolve”. This is for certain and by doing this, success is for sure and your brand will encompass the globe over a period of time.

The future will belong to those who build brand image. An indelible impression on the purchaser’s mind is made by building a logo for the company. For this we have to think differently and work for attaining market leadership and thought leadership. We should introspect and see if our brand is getting there.

S.SEKAR
Contact: sekrajc@yahoo.com
Mobile: 9940617421
The Positive thinker, Sees the Invisible, Feels the Intangible and achieves the Impossible