In search of the holy cow!

I was returning from a game of badminton this weekend when I realised that we have now been living in Singapore for over nine months. The first protracted length of time spent in a country different from the one of my birth, where I grew up and got educated, and where I spent several years of my working life.

I now live in what is commonly described as the first world. A world where refrains such as 'quality of life' or 'standard of living' aquire a definite shape and meaning. During my growing up years in India, these phrases were only niceties, associated with some other, distant world.

There are some obvious differences between the first world and the third world (for that is how India would be classified). Like population. This country has 4.8 million people living in various kinds of abodes, where even the most basic is of a very high standard, and spread over 700 square kilometers. Not a very large area, but the point is about density, not land mass. By contrast, the city where I was born - Delhi - now (officially) has 13 million spread over just about double this area. And another one where I spent four years - our commercial and entertainment capital Bombay (I still cant get my tongue around Mumbai) - has just under 14 million of us crammed into 600 square kilometers.

The next big difference is the traffic. A 20 kilometer commute takes approximately a similar amount of time...and nearly carries you across the breadth of the country and all the way into neighbouring Malaysia! Those of us who have lived in Bombay or Bangalore, as I have, will tell you with exasperation how half that distance often takes double the time. On a good day. Then there is the road ettiquette. One of the pleasing experiences everytime I used to travel from India was the sudden and complete absence of noise on the road. Strangely I discovered that a large number of vehicles were actually able to traverse great distances without creating any ambient noise. But then, I think honking is a feature unique to us Indians...only we can truly appreciate the music produced by the inmates of vehicles...several 100 thumbs pressed in unison over the horn, when they are in a situation of complete and irreversible lockjam occupying every single centimeter of available space! I have been to other places where a similar level of traffic and chaos is not accompanied by high decibel levels. Even in countries that would constitute our third world...one only needs to travel to neighbouring Sri Lanka or to places like Philippines and experience the difference.

Then there is the civic sense and cleanliness. How people are trained to follow rules and have generally accepted norms of public behaviour. Like cleaning their own mess and leaving a public space the way they found it... My new city apparently gets washed top to bottom every single day and sets a high benchmark for the rest of the developed world. Yesterday during a dinner hosted by some expat families on the occassion of the Chinese New Year I leant that there were laws here which required even cars to remain spotlessly clean! Or the standard of civility in dealings with fellow human beings. As an example, it is actually possible to have a conversation with a law enforcement officer. And that the equivalent of the paan chewing robot that issues tickets from behind the dirty glass counter in railway stations in India - the one that is only trained to utter syllables like "Tender exact change, else leave". In the first world, these are human beings capable of dialogue! Sometimes they even smile. Perhaps because on average these citizens earn 25 times what their counterparts in the third world do. You would think that is reason enough to smile...

And of course there are the magnificent buildings, the awe inspiring architecture, wonderful gourmet restaurants, lively pubs and grand shopping complexes selling exotic fares. Speaking of which...I once saw a long queue of people patiently waiting for entry to a store. Upon enquiry, I was told that the wait would last several minutes, perhaps an hour or more. The occassion? Loius Vuitton had a sale on ladies handbags. My previous experiences with long queues were at the immigration checkpoints in overcrowded airports in India. But then those queues were different...there was palpable impatience and irritation in the crowd waiting to board their flights to distant lands. This one was more akin to what I saw many years ago at Vaishno Devi after a gruelling trek of several hours and where pilgrims patiently waited for a glimpse of the deity. I think the beatific expression on people's faces was similar.

However, all these just make for interesting and at times superfluous conversations. The larger point is this - it takes very little for our mind to adjust to material comfort and convenience. And for it to distance itself from difficulties. Which is why scores of people migrate from the third world to the first world. I observe my own experiences...how easily I have come to expect that my commute to office will last a mere 20 minutes, traveling in silence over a well laid out expressway, and on which I drive at 90 kilometers an hour. Or the airconditioned existence I lead, starting from my house to office and including the grocery store, shopping malls, trains, buses and taxis...down to the community gymnasium provided for public well being by the government. I take all these for granted today. And to think that I grew up in a city where the summer temparature would reach a searing 45 degree celcius or more, accompanied by daily power cuts in the middle of the night...and we did not even have an airconditioner till I started working! The feeling of lying in bed drenched in sweat, with the constant buzzing of mosquitos, undeterred by the electric repeller now rendered ineffective, and the endless wait for the fan to start rotating once again. Or sleeping on the dirty floor of the second class sleeper compartment of a train during my student years travelling from Pune to Delhi. All these are distant memories which only surface when deliberately extricated from the deep recesses of my mind. Simply because the mind has been acclimatised to seek comfort and shun its opposite. This, my current existence, is the only reality to covet.

But before I veer further off into the philosophical, I am reminded of a recently and previously undiscovered shortcoming of the first world, without which this account will surely be incomplete. We were seated around the breakfast table in our house and the discussion suddenly came to centre on...milk! My visiting family - parents and mother-in-law - described how the milk here was not quite up to the mark. Attempts to make paneer and curd had failed miserably. Not rich enough, they proclaimed. And then the penny dropped for my mother in law, who is on her maiden overseas voyage. The reason was, she stated with a sparkle in her eyes...that there were no cows in this country! None had been spotted crossing the road!! No wonder the milk lacked potency. It took a while for suspicion to pave way for reason, argued assiduously by the wife...this was super slim milk...specially selected for daily consumption due to its healthy, fat free qualities, etc. Though I suspect she is still not entirely convinced.

I have visions of embarking on a hunt for cows in Singapore to conclusively lay the matter to rest... Which is when the brain again begins to shutdown. At 4am. On the glorious morning of the first day of the Chinese New Year. The year of the Ox! Also Australia Day. And of course, the 60th Republic Day of India. Best wishes to all on January the twentysixth, 2009!

This ad appeared in the Straits Times of Singapore - Jan 2009

Only Down Under...can they come up with something like this!

Saturday evening with friends

It has not yet been a year in Singapore, and I realise how privileged I am to have met nice people whose company embellishes some of our weekends. People that I have come to like and respect in a surprisingly short period of time. For a person who is reticent and takes a while getting comfortable with human beings, I consider myself lucky to have found good company in a new country. And now that we have been meeting periodically, I find that our evenings have taken on a distinct character...they almost have a pattern to them. Here is how they generally flow:

...there is the meet and greet. Warm hugs and smiles all around. Pleasantries exchanged. Ladies resplendent in their elegant dresses. Men dapper and relaxed.
...quickly settling into the primary business of the day. Which usually means sampling of a new bottle of single malt or occasionally a highly recommended wine. Yes, we have simple tastes! Yesterday it was the Auchentoshan. Opened by excited fingers, followed by the customary ritual involving nose and mouth...and then joy as the golden liquid spreads its goodness from the palette and fills into our beings. Pure bliss!
...the starters and finger food. Duly appreciated and consumed
...and then the conversation begins!

These conversations, which have become a mainstay of our gatherings. We talk about work. We discuss the economy, the recent doom and the gloom. And the grim outlook ahead. We share perspectives on where the world is heading. Recent events are commented upon. A newly released movie critiqued. At times, practical issues surface and get addressed with people offering advice and help. At other times we discuss life and what it means to each of us. Often we make plans - to get together for a short vacation or indulge in sport. Few of which see the light of day the following morning as we nurse a hangover, though I suspect our track record is finally threatening to improve! There is plenty of friendly banter and jokes...and some vociferous debates. In this short span of time, we seem to have coalesced and become comfortable as a group, appreciative of each others perspectives. And in our own way, I am quite certain we look forward to these evenings and the conversations, which often carry on till early hours of the morning.

Yesterday was about how we see ourselves in the future...what would define us as individuals, what we would like to do, and what we would like to be. Excellent conversation. Interrupted several times, digressing wildly at moments, and swinging from the philosophical to the comic. But despite the twists and turns, some of us delved deep and shared ideas of our vision, aspirations and desires.

One of us wants to be able to achieve greater balance in coming years. To be able to excel at the workplace, but also expend energy in bringing goodness and well being to people beyond the immediate proximity. Like helping those with less means attain financial independence. An existence that would be productive, comfortable and meaningful to more people than just those attached to the self.

Another friend was candid in admitting that the future vision was as yet unclear. There was a strong desire to make this life count, and that in the near term it needed to be about attaining wealth of a vastly different magnitude. Equally there was a feeling that this was only part of the story. A strong desire to mentor and share knowledge with upcoming generations was palpable. Surely, there is a lot yet to come from this talented young person!

One friend has been doing a remarkable job of raising two young children as a single parent and sole provider. Having known the person from my college years I marvel at the transformation, the steely resolve and singularity of purpose. Another has taken a career break to explore creative pursuits.

When asked the same question, I had a short answer...expressing a desire to work with youth in my country and to make this life matter for a greater proportion of humanity than it does currently. Those who now know me felt some of my past actions and inclinations pointed in that direction. And gave me their insights on paths to consider. Which I am grateful for and have taken on board for further consideration.

Within our small little ecosystem, it feels wonderful to hear about dreams and desires of people we know. These interactions leave me with a pleasant aftertaste. I come away energised by the emotion and the inherent desire of my friends wanting to make a difference...to create and to excel. To strive. To leave a legacy. It strengthens my conviction in the talent of people, in their unique perspectives and distinctive abilities. Each one of us wants to make this life count. The paths vary, the goals are divergent, yet there is a strong positive undercurrent within. I feel proud that in a very small way, and to a very limited extent, even in these social gatherings we are able to create a forum for such expression. One of us felt, rightly so, that these conversations are great, but what next? How will we translate these lofty thoughts into action? A very sincere and genuine concern. And my response was that if we take away something from here which we can internalise and reflect upon - thoughts that may lead us to act, in a big or small way, so be it! That in itself, would provide greater purpose and meaning to our lives. What may have been latent desires thus far, covered under the veil of our daily existence and self-preoccupation, have now found expression among friends in an environment of trust and respect. Thus giving rise to a new opportunity to bring forth our energy and talent.

Great evening! A word of gratitude to our hosts. The single malt has done its magic, as has the delicious food prepared lovingly by the lady of the house. May these evenings continue for times to come. May there be laughter, geity and camaraderie. And may wonderful thoughts and ideas emerge and propel us forward into action!

A moment of reflection

It is slam bang in the middle of a busy work day.

A day which was to commence with a conference call at 9am and end with another one at 11.30pm. The first call was to quickly connect with my friend and colleague to agree on some pressing issues, but could not take place because of some even more pressing issues taking precedence! And the last one will have to do with discussing the future plans for our organisation with a bunch of our leaders. In between, the opportunity to provide guidance and counsel to some dear colleagues on matters of career. And through the day, address a variety of areas of varying degrees of near term and long term significance.

So what am I doing here right now??

I was walking back from lunch (which is usually a solitary affair here in Singapore...part of the package deal which comes with global roles that operate in this virtual world). And I suddenly think about how we navigate through our busy, interaction and transaction filled work lives - focussed on the here and now. Solving this issue, dousing that fire, beginning one assignment, bringing to culmination another. Debating and arguing. Sometimes we plan...not just our work, but how to deal with people - customers, bosses, peers, subordinates - some of which have seemingly conflicting interests and priorities. At other times, we share our perspectives and emotions with trusted souls. Some days are filled with excitement and others just drag on. And how we get consumed by our environment and act and react accordingly, differently in times of opportunity...and differently when we percieve adversity.

This funny work life of ours.

If only we could take a moment to still our minds and stand in reflection. A few minutes perhaps. Our mind...often muddy and unclear like the ripples on the surface of a lake on which stones are constantly being thrown. A bit of stillness...and clouds of confusion fade away, the vision clears, actions emerge and they get executed with clarity and sharpness. Like the beauty and serenity hidden within the depths of the lake whose surface lies still.

Just one tiny little moment of reflection...I had this sudden urge to capture it!

Talent

Given that my professional life has had much to with this topic, I have been thinking of penning down my thoughts on how I view talent and what it has meant for me.

In my growing years, I was often described as a good boy - well behaved, well read, reasonably well rounded - but with no particular talent. Here is what I mean:

...I was above average academically (I know this is left wide open for interpretation...but then that is the best description that comes to mind)
...I could never sing
...did not know how to play any musical instrument. I did learn tabla for a while but parted with my instructor after a difference of opinion - must have been in standard seven or eight
...was mediocre at sport (with the exception of badminton). Not because I did not have the knack for it, but my severe asthmatic condition did not allow me to exert physically
...no histrionic ability
...less said the better about my performances on the dance floor. Even now I would be hopeless without copious amount of alcohol. After which I really coudn't care less, and others have been too polite to tell me the morning after - or more realistically they themselves have vague memories of the night before - other than a throbbing head to serve a painful reminder!
...to top it all, I did not have much of a physique - a frail 54 kilograms during my undergrad days

Yet my entire professional life has been about talent...finding the right talent, training and developing it, and rewarding and retaining talent.

My views on talent have evolved much over the years - and I suspect will continue to for time to come. My initial ideas were shaped by my surroundings. Growing up in a famously competitive school in Delhi which churned out achievers by the dozen, and bred in an intellectual university atmosphere, talent and education went hand in hand. During my student years, having talent equalled being in the top percentile academically and obtaining admission to top class institutions. I would marvel at people who had the ability and perseverance to do that. And when I began my professional life, this translated into being able to attract and retain highly qualified professionals within the organisation. Our measures of success were ranking in top business schools of the country and our ability to manage to very low levels of attrition. Most of my initial years at work went in this pursuit and my team mates and I did our utmost to achieve these results. From meticulously planned recruiting campaings which would focus on positioning us in the 'right' peer set, to ensuring we had attractive compensation packages, we did all that we could to plan and manage the careers of the best and the brightest. And when competition became intense with more and more multinational companies discovering Indian talent, newer companies lured away that talent with the promise of overseas postings and sky high pay packages for top graduates. The wide media coverage on how the best talent was leaving the shores of India in almost every field of education further strengthened the view that talent was indeed scarce.

However, my notion that talent was resident in the very top academic strata was restrictive for several reasons. The first of which have to do with sheer numbers.

India has:
- 380 universities
- 11,200 higher education institutes

churning out annually:

- 6,000 PhD’s
- 200,000 engineers
- 300,000 science grads and post grads
- over 2 million graduates all put together!!

Furthermore, more often than not, the highest educational institutions are occupied by people that have had the means to access them. Again the numbers are indicative. The average annual per capita income in India is US $2,600 (IMF estimate - 2007), hence it is conceivable that gaining access to top institutions is not always possible for everyone. The economic boom of the past decade has certainly increased that access, however wide income disparities and abject poverty still remain...making it difficult for vast majority of people to these hallowed institutions.

Finally - and this may have been most obvious to the vast majority of humanity - I have learnt that talent is bigger and broader than academic achievement or material success. Over the years, I have met people from many different backgrounds - people with different academic qualifications and specialisations. People from a variety of cultures, socio-economic conditions, languages, provinces, races and nationalities. About a year ago, my colleagues and I spent a day working with street children who were rehabilitated and being taught life skills in a non-governmental institution in Bangalore. We encountered incredible talent that day...children sewing, working the printing press, crafting stuff, or doing mechanics. At the end of the day, one of them sang a song for us...and some did an amazing rendition of hot bollywood dance numbers - choreographed to perfection! And so I realized that talent does not equal academic qualifications or educational pedigree. What should have been clear from the start took me years of get to, but then I explained that I was never talented, didn’t I? Talent exists in many different places and in almost every person...it is up to us to recognise it and to be able to do something with it. When we encounter someone who can think systematically and sequentially, we see talent. When they can think destructively and discontinuously, we see talent. When people visualise possibilities, there is talent. There is talent in the stroke of the brush. In sculptures, images, in song, dance and theatre. There is even talent in disagreement...because it is almost always easier to agree and to conform than it is to challenge.

As my views on talent have evolved, it has not in any way diminished my respect for people who have excelled and graduated from the finest institutions. Far from it. I believe these are very hard working people - incredibly gifted and truly deserving of the success they achieve. What has changed is that I now respect people with myriad talents. I marvel at the different things people can do. I am fascinated by their abilities. And I am inspired by them…to an extent that I aspire to make my own little contribution to help people realize their potential. At a very personal level, it is increasingly about getting to assist people that have less access to education and economic well being. After all, isn't unlocking the potential of people at the very core of our profession. We, who call ourselves practioners and experts in Human Resource Management!

But all this will stand for naught it I couldn't walk the talk. I need to live my beliefs. So I decide to start with recognising talent in my immediate proximity. Perhaps it shall manifest in a future post…after all, don't they say charity begins at home? Or some such thing.

Goodnight. At 3.30am. Hopefully, some shuteye would induce sanity on the morrow!

Work and life...and life's work

The year end was a good time to connect with friends from the past. I discovered that Singapore is a nice little vacation spot for people to come down at the end of the year, spend time relaxing, shopping and generally winding down. A few of my friends from school, college and university came across and we connected over drinks and meals. We caught up on the years gone by and I could not help reflecting on how passage of time changes our thinking, our emotions, our actions - even our worries. Just the other day we were worried about clearing exams...or excited about a new girl in our lives. How we agonised about our future - would we get somewhere and be somebody?? Or would life pass us by and we would be left stranded by the wayside as we just hadn't toiled hard enough? Now the conversations have changed - excitement is the next vacation in some exotic part of the world...and worries are about school admissions or their children's performance.

All this led me to...reflect. Yes once again I found myself thinking and questioning. I thought about my work and what I ought to get done...but more and more I found myself thinking about what work has meant to me and and how what I do will make a difference to others. The past and the future...intricately connected to form the story of my life!

My work ethic started to take shape as I graduated from college and found myself doing things I did not really enjoy, after having been rejected by institutes which would have allowed me to pursue the profession of my choice. Boring as it may sound (even to me), all I wanted to do at the time was Human Resources. I had this notion that being in HR, one had the opportunity to unlock the potential of people in organisations, to uncover their talent such that they and the organisations that employed them would collectively benefit. The jury is still out on that one! My struggles began when I was rejected by my favourite institute for HR (yes - it was called Personnel Management those days). A combination of family pressure and the temptation of the motorbike my father would buy for me led me to join Chartered Accountancy. Before I realised that I neither had any ability nor interest in finance and accounting. After a few months of futile effort, I renewed the pursuit of a career in HR. I again applied to the same institute, secured an interview as I did before...and was rejected yet again! But I remained steadfast in my quest. I quit CA and began, quite literally, a door to door job hunt - if not HR, I would do something else, anything more human than accounting! I managed to gain a desk research position in a small market research firm - a huge personal accomplishment and attributable entirely to a kindly gentleman who, like me, had escaped from the horrors of a career in accounting. Eventually, I did succeed in obtaining admission into a Masters program in HR in Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, an institution with which I have had a very warm association over the years.

I have often looked back at that period of struggle and have vivid memories of the journey...the never ending search for opportunities, the numerous applications followed by rejections, the frequent doubts on my own abilities, the sinking feeling that nothing would really fructify. I gained some unexpected skills - like learning to circumvent gatekeepers and reach people who would consider me for my worth rather than by my meager qualifications. On the other hand, I became deeply introspective. I had been delving into Indian philosophy...trying to understand the purpose of work and life. I meditated and I took long walks. A close friend went through a very similar journey, providing me comfort, companionship, camaraderie, and sense of oneness of purpose.

I have always maintained that this period of struggle laid the foundation of my work ethic. It is often said by people that they work to live better - that it is a means to an end. It provides for life's material comforts, along with a sense of achievement. For some it is the satisfaction of ego, or a means for obtaining power and prestige. People work so they can live well, own, possess, and further the prospects of their progeny. Sometimes work is the laboratory in which to conduct experiments, where success and failure come in equal measure. At other times it is an escape from monotony and drudgery, or a shelter from life's myriad challenges. Work is many things to many people. Me? I still haven't figured it out. But what I do know is that work is not a chore - an activity to be completed to meet a certain end. For those of us who get to do what we love to, it is a privilege. Accorded to us so we can fulfill our life's purpose and provide meaning and joy to people we get to touch...

Two thousand and nine

The world bid farewell to a year, the likes of which many would not like to experience again...and welcomed a new one with renewed hope and vigour! Goodbye 2008 - year of meltdown and collapses. Of bailouts and recession. Of terrorism. Welcome 2009! We pray that you will be better. That miseries will be behind us and we shall once again experience prosperity and well being. And just in case you are unable to provide these, then please pass on quickly so we can welcome 2010 which will definitely be like our past years of joy and happiness!

Why is it that we hastily bid adieu to difficulty and suffering, while embracing their opposites with enthusiasm? Why should the stock markets head only one way...upwards? And our wealth only increase? Our health improve? Our happiness never end? Why is peace better than war? And pleasure better than pain? Why should only good things to happen to us? WHY IS BETTER BETTER THAN WORSE?

As I awoke this morning to the customary greetings from family and friends with wishes for a joyous and prosperous year ahead, these thoughts emanated from my being and poured into this post... Cynical? Weird? Not really. Are not pleasure and pain two sides of the same coin? Isn't it true that that strife and violence are as old as mountains and oceans? As are peace, good will and generosity. Where there is good there is its opposite. Sadness where there is happiness. Poverty and wealth. Ugliness and beauty. War and peace. Terrorism and sainthood. Birth and...death!

But it is not my lot to ponder over these weighty issues and look for answers that may raise even more questions, is it? Or begin a year with morbid thoughts. No. This is time for hope, for optimism, for energy, exuberance, action. And how could I forget...for new year resolutions! So what are mine for 2009? For a person who has never been motivated by milestones and numbers, January 1 is just another date. But before I go too far down this path, let me change tracks. I will still not have any resolutions. Rather, I shall renew some promises that I have made to myself in the past.

...a promise to strive

...a promise to excel

...a promise to lead and to be led

...to inspire and to be inspired

...a promise to be of value to a greater portion of humanity than I have ever been

If you wish me anything this year, wish that I can live my promises and walk the talk. And you, reader of this blog of randomness - I wish you the same! For that is the path of evolution. And the only truth I can claim to vaguely understand....