Friday, March 31, 2006

A Nice Message for Risk Managers

When I was browsing the web about Risk analysts, a few lines in one website caught my eyes.
- "Don’t make the mistake of saying YES when you should say NO, and don’t make the mistake of saying NO when you should say YES. Walk into your decisions with your eyes open– with an understanding of RISK and how to predict it, measure it, and manage it - not avoid it!"
A great lesson for all times presented in a concise, lucid manner.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Muddled Conference - Inefficient leader

Shri: Hey, My dear team members! As usual we will have online conference today and complete our work early. Now its 8:15PM. Document submission deadline is 11:59 PM today, so come early. We will finish it.
(Online conference made project team coordination very simple. Even all the team members can be physically very far conferencing can be done. As work can be accomplished in parallel it turned out to be a good mechanism. Shri got some unexpected work and he came online at 10:05. Every one was there online on time but no one did anything.
Reason: Shri didn't tell anything about action plan. Shri himself doesn't know it.)
Shri: Ok guys, let’s start.
Everyone: Ok, let’s start. What should I do? I have doubts.
(How can Shri tell or assign works, this time he didn't plan anything. He himself does not know what to do. To make it crystal clear, he is in a dilemma what to do)
Shri: There are 3 modules in the document. Already I did the 1st chunk. Owen will do the 2nd module and you Alicia do the last module. Anthia, you just check out the errors in the documents presented to you by all of us, correct them and make the final draft.
(As the work is distributed Shri also started doing on 2nd module simultaneously. Shri completed half of the 2nd module.)
Alicia: Ok.
Shri: I am sending the 1st module to Anthia. Do the corrections.
Anthia: Ok, got the file.
Owen: Shri! I am unable to understand it, clarify some doubts regarding it.
Shri: But Owen, we have less time. I did half of it, just see it and complete the remaining half.
Owen: After seeing your document, I go another doubt. We can do it in two ways according to your approach. Which one shall I follow? You got it nah!
Anthia: In subsection 3 of module 1, we can make it more lucid. What do you say Shri? Is it not to be changed?
Shri: Just a minute, Anthia.
Anthia: Ok.
Owen: But I didn’t understand it completely. I am unable to get both of them.
Shri: Anthia, if you think you can make it so, do it.
Owen: Ok, I will follow the first approach.
Shri: Anthia, correct last one line in 6th subsection.
Anthia: Is there any mistake in that portion?
Shri: Owen, Just now I sent you how to do it, see it and complete.
Shri: Owen, Follow the first approach.
Alicia: Yeah, I too got that doubt about that 6th subsection Shri!
Shri: Actually it is wrong, so correct it Anthia.
Anthia: Ok.
(Owen started working seeing to Shri’s document. But for Shri, after thinking for some time it seemed second approach is better and more accurate.)
Anthia: See the 4th subsection, it can also be improved.
Shri: Owen, follow second approach.
(Shri couldn’t understand why Anthia doesn’t take trivial decisions on her own. Even though I already said to improve anywhere and in anyway she wishes, every time she is asking me disturbing my work. The important problem is lack of time.)
Owen: what! I already did significant work in first approach. You are confusing me.
(Yeah, But actually Shri is the one who is confused and is unable to think due to deadline tension. Its already 11:05 PM. Owen got angry and just logged out of the conference. Shri continued working with the 2nd module.)
Alicia: (At 11:25 PM) Shri, Anthia check out my 3rd module.
Shri: Alicia, Your module is completely wrong. See that doesn’t work for the any case. Check it out again and do it. Ok I will tell the subsections, you complete them.
Anthia: No Shri, It’s correct. I don’t think what you said is correct. Alicia is right.
Shri: No it is wrong.
Alicia: I got your point Shri, Ok I will change them.
Shri: Make it fast it already 11:30 PM.
Anthia: What about 4th subsection?
Shri: Anthia, Do corrections where ever you felt wrong.
Anthia: Ok.
Shri: Ok, 2nd module completed. But its already 11:45 PM.
Alicia: I sent you both the corrected version of 3rd module.
Anthia: I corrected all.
Shri: I am seeing 3rd module. Anthia, is it all ok?
Alicia: Is it ok?
Anthia: Yeah, 1st module is corrected.
Shri: Now, 3rd module is Ok. Hey its 11:52 PM. Alicia, You got all the modules with you, just integrate it and send quickly.Alicia: Ok.
Shri: Who ever has the final modules, do the work.
(Alicia integrated all the modules and submitted the document at 11:57 PM.)
Alicia: I submitted.
Shri: Ok.
Anthia: Ok.
(Every one logged out of the conference.)

The next day they came to know that corrected version of 1st module was not sent as it is with Anthia. Alicia sent the first version with mistakes. Every one mailed Shri that the meeting was muddled and was very bad. We need to make something to improve the situation.


Bottom line: To accomplish a team work tools alone doesn’t work. Good Planning and organizing are required to lead a team. Leader should never postpone the project schedule to the last moment.

Friday, March 10, 2006

Contesting for a.s. winning election

I filed nomination for the post of Hostel Computer Secretary. So, I am too active in elections. Hurrah! And do you I will win the election with probability 1 a.s. (almost surely). How can this happen? Guess!!
Obviously, the answer would be "There is no other contestant for the post".
Hey Shri! But you lost the fun of campaigning in the election.Better luck next time!

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Optimist Vs Skeptic

Yesterday in the evening Swarna told to Shri(both think they are good friends)that she loves a guy, Aditya. The only obstacle they may have is that they are from different caste - I don't know why the caste plays a major role in marriages. I don’t understand why people, even in the present world, give more importance to it.

As Shri likes Swarna (like one of Shri's role models) and believes she will not make any bad decision he readily extended his support for her decision.

When Swarna asked Shri's opinion (though he thinks not at all important) he replied "ok, fine". Shri's only doubt is whether she knows Aditya well or not. Or does she like because of just by daily nice talks which would be mostly pleasing to each other. Shri thinks that she is sensitive and if Aditya is really not as per Swarna's expectations or vice versa then she would really suffer a lot and situation may become pathetic.

Optimist in Shri: Hey shri! Why do you want to see everything under the lens?

Skeptic in Shri: Yeah of course, but she might have experienced mostly nice things and not difficulties or hardships. How much can he be supportive in those situations?

Optimist: Come on Shri, She knows him at least to some extent, may be both know each other's nature & then only they might have decided.

Skeptic: If she or he know each other partially and expect differently, unlike normal arranged marriages (where they get more prepared to shortcomes) then they feel very difficult to compromise.

Optimist: There is always some sense of uncertainty even in Arranged Marriages. Compromise doesn't depend on love or arranged marriages; it depends on individuals and time. At any time it is difficult. In this case at least she knows something about him. Wish her all the best.

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Good sporting spirit Campaign Guy

Yesterday a guy who was contesting in the elections for the post of G.Sec (Sports) was campaigning in here. He was nice just like other contestants. After discussing his manifesto he made just one request - which made me to question myself.
Please Vote for any one u like, we all worked a lot. But, Do use your right to vote.

In a country like India how many politicians think like this. They cuss each other and criticize each even other's genuine works.Good Sportsmanship Mr Contestant. Keep it up! I will vote for you. With that request, you also pointed out one important point that happens in India. How many educated Indians cast their vote?- I think not more than 15% to 20 %. We should change our mindsets to participate in elections - both contest and vote with positive attitude.
Past, Present and Future - All are abstract.