THE LEADERSHIP PARADOX

“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something YOU want done – because HE wants to do it “ – Dwight Eisenhower.

This is one of the more profound descriptions of “ Leadership”, as we know it currently. Actually that is exactly what leadership is all about.

If you have seen the movie PATTON, recall the scene where George C. Scott (playing the great American general ) exhorts his troops by stating – “ No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country……….he won it… by making the OTHER poor dumb bastard die for HIS country.” Truer words have not been spoken since.

There is a latent desire, deeply embedded, in all of ours psyche to be leaders; in whichever field we happen to pursue, whether it is Arts, Science or Commerce. Every salesperson I have met has confessed to his/her secret desire to receiving “ THE BEST SALES PERSON OF THE YEAR “ award from his company…..and then the next promotion . And this is all inclusive of the chosen profession, be it FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods), Advertising, Media, White Goods, Realty, Call Centers, Electronics, Hospitality, or selling Balloons on chow patty or Bhel puri!!! And trust me – this is the way we are made- (by the almighty), who else? This is a human trait that manifests itself in our thought process, as soon as we enter the mean world to earn our bread and butter. But only few of us actually are REAL  achievers. You do not have to be manipulative or a glib talker, because there is always the risk of your intentions being exposed, and then you do not stand a chance of reprieve.

The best way forward is to be a good human being – FIRST. Empathy, Sincerity, Hard work, Friendliness and Humility are the qualities to Hone and Excel at to be a good leader of people.

Cut to the news report IN THE TOI issue of  20th January 2013 , –              “ SCIENTISTS FIND GENE THAT MAKES NATURAL BORN LEADERS : The leadership gene , known as rs4950, is an inherited DNA sequence associated with people taking charge. Scientists accept  that leadership skills are also learned. But the gene may provide the vital push needed to make someone into a MANAGER rather than a MINION.”

Now, with a discovery as big as THAT!!! How far away are we from converting this gene into an App. or an injection or even a Viagra like pill ? Think of the possibilities !

Our national leaders need “IT” the most. Already we have Mamta Banerjee ( she manages to creep into my political examples with amusing frequency). She is raring to sock the daylights out of our “unspoken” Prime MinisterJI- because he is yet to respond to her repeated request for funding her state. Of course she denied she MEANT that the next morning, to be fair. Next she may demand a catfight with Sonia Gandhi!!! Or in case her “violence quotient” is any lesser, at least an arm wrestling bout….and the winner takes it ALL.

But if she can lay her hands on THE PILL- she may actually be able to speak intelligently some of the time, without requiring Derek O’Brien to unscramble and make an iota of sense of her utterances for the benefit of us lesser mortals.

And more recently Nitin Gadkari’s rant at the Income tax officials probing his uncommon wealth-“ Mard hoon …sab ko dekh loonga” which translates to “ I am a He Man I can take you on anytime” or something to that effect………like Mamta Banerjee, he too did not MEAN that, the next morning. If he gets THAT PILL he would probably hang his head in shame and submit to all his financial misdemeanors and walk into a prison voluntarily, LOCK HIMSELF IN AND THROW AWAY THE KEYS. As would 90%  of our “ Leaders”.

I get a feeling they will all refuse to take this for fear of exposure.

So that leaves THE PILL for our exclusive use, to pop at will.

Initially IT will cost a bomb, simply because IT is so new. Only the super rich will be able to afford IT. By the time we commoners can buy IT, most of us will be beyond caring to use IT.

But then these are simply my assumptions. The report is a fact, for sure.

You think of ways IT can be put to use, for making YOU a LEADER.

the reluctant writer

A PUFF IN THE DARK

A PUFF IN THE DARK

What you are about to read is not your regular "feel good" weekend read. However,reader discretion or discrimination is NOT advised. Some parts of this write up may make you squirm or disturb your equanimity. Please continue reading all the same!  This can happen to any one of us,socio-economic status not withstanding. Maybe your very own "apro Hoshang, Homi, Dali, Beniffer,Armaity.firoz or Firoza" is already into drug abuse,or is at present flirting with the idea.

It is like setting out on a long drive on a bright and sunny day.The wind blowing through your hair and on your face as you pass the countryside. Little village kids waving at you as you wiz past them in your gleaming set of  wheels.

Suddenly your car's steering wheel develops a mind of it's own.The accelerator gets stuck to the floor board. YOU CANNOT SLOW DOWN OR CONTROL THE CAR AT ALL. After crashing head-on into 2 passing trucks, your car drives itself straight into a wall. Then it reverses,engine screaming and runs over three pedestrians, you are helpless as it races onto a mountain road. You stare in horror at the hairpin bend ahead. You cannot open the door ,your seatbelt has locked you around the waist. You are completely trapped. A scream escapes your lips as your car plunges over the cliff.

That is probably the way Sage Stallone, Sylvester Stallone's only son, felt when he died of substance abuse at the ripe old age of 36 years and Amy Winehouse, and Michael Jackson, before him.

The Times of India issue dated 28th July reported "7 year olds in UK taking Ecasty and Cannabis", a shocker, even by western standards.Their survey highlighted that the age of onset was most commonly 18...and upto 57.18years is ,most likely the  Indian average age too.

Drug addiction or substance abuse is the worst form of SELF-ABUSE ever discovered.

Peer pressure, not surprisingly,is one of the major cause for occurrence. The need to be accepted by your friends, who you presume are "casual smokers".Or that they smoke only "at parties".You want to enjoy the same COOLTH factor as you erroneously attribute to them.You are aware it is the wrong thing to do,but that is EXACTLYwhy you want to do it!! You can stop any time you wish,right? WRONG,Studies by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, claims that the rate of addiction of even onetime users is as high as 65%.

Another reason for getting drawn into substance abuse is being exposed to the drug ,professionally.There was a shocking report in The Times of India just two weeks ago. A lady anesthetist from a reputed hospital in Pune is undergoing treatment for de-addiction at a hospital in Mumbai, from the same drugs she was responsible for administering to patients before surgery.She too, @ 36 years of age   erroneously ASSUMED that she could QUIT AT WILL.Today her husband and two teenage children take turns to be by her bedside @ the hospital,shuttling between Pune and Mumbai.The psychiatrist treating her says this is not an isolated case. Many professionals like her succumb to this temptation ,causing agony for themselves and their dependents.

The worst fallout of drug or substance abuse is the selfishness it creates in the user. EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE JUST CEASE TO EXIST. It is a my way or the 'high" way(pun intended).attitude that sets in.Your education,family members, job, just do not matter anymore.Where and how to get the next fix is the ONLY concern.Your car is driving itself now,.You start speeding ,with each passing day.The three pedestrians you run over might just be,mom,dad,brother,sister ,wife or even your own kid.

Somehow,someone convinces you to de addict.But after a month you are tempted into a relapse. Again the drug becomes the master. Stagnation sets in.Emotional,Financial and career-wise. Now your car has crashed into the wall and is reversing onto the mountain path.

Let us pause to reflect on some of the symptoms of a user.

1) The eyes turn reddish and have a glazed look all the time.

2) The speech is slurred and there is a distinct lisp.

3) Not caring about one's appearance and lethargic behavior.

4) Loss of appetite and body weight,also dehydration.

5) Frequent mood swings and turning violent if denied money.

6) Stealing money from family,relatives,friends to feed the habit.

7) Very low self esteem leading to depression.

Depending on the duration of abuse the user has severe withdrawal symptoms.This is called Turking,Derived probably by condensing the expression "going cold turkey." The eyes start watering,the nose runs incessantly,vomiting occurs.Muscles start contracting involuntarily causing twitching of the limbs and abdomen.The pain is so severe as if you have fallen down ten flights of stairs.

For a complete recovery,serious medical and psychiatric attention is necessary.A good 3-4 weeks of hospitalization will take care of the physical trauma.Then psychiatric assistance is foremost.besides the psychiatrist the co-operation of the immediate family members is necessary. And of course the EX-USER has to consciously resolve to quit.......otherwise a relapse is just a puff,a whiff or needle away.That is the stage when you cannot open you car door as it hurtles over the cliff.

Pain is temporary but QUITTING lasts forever.

Drugs are BAD NEWS.....Drugs SUCK......best advice yet......DONT GET STARTED.

THE RELUCTANT WRITER.

VULTURUM CULTURIUM – THE LAST WORD ( HOPEFULLY).

 Enough crap has been written on the Aviary Project, than I care to remember. The amount of newsprint that has been wasted by writers, publishers, and readers borders on the vulgar.

Our holy priests are knotted up completely on the subJect. For or Against; may as well be decided by tossing a coin. What was sacrilege yesterday is totally “acceptable” today. We – the laity are equally confused. Though due credit must be given to some of us who have researched on all the arguments and written in the press their erudite opinions – which COMPLETELY RIPS APART AND DEMOLISHES THE WEAK AND IRRATIONAL DEFENCE OF THE 7 MINIONS SITTING IN A D.N ROAD OFFICE….CLAIMING TO BE SO CALLED EXPERTS ON CREATING VULTURES OUT OF NOWHERE WITH THE “EDUCATED” HELP OF THE GOVERNMENT AND OTHER LOCAL BODIES. Why???  are there NO other options??? Does every city, town, village or country where Bawas reside….have a  DOKHMA.???

With all our collective education and intellectuality can we not think of donating our bodies to humanity? Organ Donations, Organ Transplants have gained acceptance in MORE conservative communities than ours. Organ Transplants can be performed even while we are still alive. If after death we can be of ANY use for humanity or science, for that matter- what the hell is WRONG with that?? Find out what else can be done once we are dead. ALL THROUGH THE GANPATI FESTIVAL THIS YEAR, THE MANDALS COLLECTED COMMITMENTS FOR ORGAN DONATIONS FROM THE PEOPLE VISITING THE IR MANDALS FOR GANPATI BAPPA’S BLESSINGS. LAY PEOPLE WHO PLEDGED THEIR BODIES AND PROMISED TO DONATE THEIR ORGANS, JUST SO ANOTHER LIFE CAN BE SAVED. A LESSON TO BE LEARNT FOR US. WE CALL OURSELVES INDIANS, WE ARE CERTAINLY PART OF THE MAIN STREAM OF CONTRIBUTORS TO INDIA’S GROWTH- ECONOMICALLY AND HISTORICALLY . With all our collective intelligence – these are the lines we should be thinking on and debating, if necessary. It has already been said in so many words and proven – VULTURES ARE HISTORY!! EVEN IF OUR RELIGIOUS TENETS DEMAND WE BE FED TO THEM , after death. NO AMOUNT OF RELIGIOUS OR SCIENTIFIC MUMBO- JUMBO CAN CREATE VULTURES OUT OF NOWHERE ,JUST to feed on our dead. Is this concept SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND ? in a concrete jungle like Kemps Corner, MUMBAI? In the year 2013??

Let us ask ourselves ‘ WHY IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO BE LAID OUT ON A CONCRETE SLAB, after death, ofcourse ,  AND ROT AWAY ,  ALONGSIDE OTHER LIKEMINDED CORPSES TILL SOME PART OF YOUR NOW COMPLETELY EXPOSED ANATOMY CATCHES THE FANCY OF SOME VULTURE???.or  MORE LIKELY THAN NOT – does not- simply because THERE IS NO VULTURE.’

Why not just move to the NEXT LEVEL? Why must we stand FROZEN IN TIME , like a bunch of docile and brain dead individuals…… and permit a handful ( read precisely 7) INDIVIDUALS to FOIST their ideas on us? Ask them… are they spending their personal family resources ( read Rs.25 CRORES) TO PUSH A PROJECT DOOMED TO FAILURE, EVEN BEFORE IT TAKES OFF? ARE WE JUST GOING TO SIT ON OUR COUCHES  AND PURR IN AGREEMENT….or worse, not at all?

We have a very STRONG , HEALTHY,  ERUDITE and FEARLESS COMMUNITY PRESS. THAT IS PROBABLLY KEEPING THESE GUYS EVEN SLIGHTLY ACCOUNTABLE AND IN CHECK.

IT IS TIME TO GET TOGETHER AND CONDEMN THIS HOAX BEING IMPOSED ON US, UNFORTUNATELY ,BY OUR OWN.

THE WORLD CONSISTS OF MORE THAN JUST US BAWA's....sure we've contributed to the country and fellow humans in the GREATEST ECONOMIC PARLANCE ,  NOW LET'S DO SOMETHING WORTHWHILE ...EVEN AFTER DEATH.....!!!

JAAGO BAWAJI JAAGO!! VAKHAT BADLAIYE GAYOJ.!!!  NAVO VICHAR KARVOJ PADSE…APRA DHARAM NE  KHATER!!! APRE KHATER!!!!!! .

AND WHILE I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION I WISH TO OFFER MY SINCEREST COMPLIMENTS TO AND  A STANDING OVATION FOR OUR HIGH PRIEST DASTURJI KHURSHED  K. DASTOOR SAHEB FOR OFFERING HIS ERUDITE AND RESEARCHED OPINION, IN THE PRAGMATIC AND SCIENTIFIC WAY THAT HE HAS ON THE SUBJECT...

I END THIS WITH An  ASHEM VOHU …YATHAHU  VAIRYO……HOPE THIS IS THE LAST WORD ON THE SUBJECT.

 AAMEEN!A AMEEN ! AAMEEN !!

fwriterr@gmail.com

Blog : reluctantwriter21.blogspot.in

the reluctant writer.

A PUFF IN THE DARK

What you are about to read is not your regular "feel good" weekend read. However,reader discretion or discrimination is NOT advised. Some parts of this write up may make you squirm or disturb your equanimity. Please continue reading all the same!  This can happen to any one of us,socio-economic status not withstanding. Maybe your very own "apro Hoshang, Homi, Dali, Beniffer,Armaity.firoz or Firoza" is already into drug abuse,or is at present flirting with the idea.

It is like setting out on a long drive on a bright and sunny day.The wind blowing through your hair and on your face as you pass the countryside. Little village kids waving at you as you wiz past them in your gleaming set of  wheels.

Suddenly your car's steering wheel develops a mind of it's own.The accelerator gets stuck to the floor board. YOU CANNOT SLOW DOWN OR CONTROL THE CAR AT ALL. After crashing head-on into 2 passing trucks, your car drives itself straight into a wall. Then it reverses,engine screaming and runs over three pedestrians, you are helpless as it races onto a mountain road. You stare in horror at the hairpin bend ahead. You cannot open the door ,your seatbelt has locked you around the waist. You are completely trapped. A scream escapes your lips as your car plunges over the cliff.

That is probably the way Sage Stallone, Sylvester Stallone's only son, felt when he died of substance abuse at the ripe old age of 36 years and Amy Winehouse, and Michael Jackson, before him.

The Times of India issue dated 28th July reported "7 year olds in UK taking Ecasty and Cannabis", a shocker, even by western standards.Their survey highlighted that the age of onset was most commonly 18...and upto 57.18years is ,most likely the  Indian average age too.

Drug addiction or substance abuse is the worst form of SELF-ABUSE ever discovered.

Peer pressure, not surprisingly,is one of the major cause for occurrence. The need to be accepted by your friends, who you presume are "casual smokers".Or that they smoke only "at parties".You want to enjoy the same COOLTH factor as you erroneously attribute to them.You are aware it is the wrong thing to do,but that isEXACTLY why you want to do it!! You can stop any time you wish,right? WRONG,Studies by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, claims that the rate of addiction of even onetime users is as high as 65%.

Another reason for getting drawn into substance abuse is being exposed to the drug ,professionally.There was a shocking report in The Times of India just two weeks ago. A lady anesthetist from a reputed hospital in Pune is undergoing treatment for de-addiction at a hospital in Mumbai, from the same drugs she was responsible for administering to patients before surgery.She too, @ 36 years of age   erroneously ASSUMED that she could QUIT AT WILL.Today her husband and two teenage children take turns to be by her bedside @ the hospital,shuttling between Pune and Mumbai.The psychiatrist treating her says this isnot an isolated case. Many professionals like her succumb to this temptation ,causing agony for themselves and their dependents.

The worst fallout of drug or substance abuse is the selfishness it creates in the user. EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE JUST CEASE TO EXIST. It is a my way or the 'high" way(pun intended).attitude that sets in.Your education,family members, job, just do not matter anymore.Where and how to get the next fix is the ONLYconcern.Your car is driving itself now,.You start speeding ,with each passing day.The three pedestrians you run over might just be,mom,dad,brother,sister ,wife or even your own kid.

Somehow,someone convinces you to de addict.But after a month you are tempted into a relapse. Again the drug becomes the master. Stagnation sets in.Emotional,Financial and career-wise. Now your car has crashed into the wall and is reversing onto the mountain path.

Let us pause to reflect on some of the symptoms of a user.

1) The eyes turn reddish and have a glazed look all the time.

2) The speech is slurred and there is a distinct lisp.

3) Not caring about one's appearance and lethargic behavior.

4) Loss of appetite and body weight,also dehydration.

5) Frequent mood swings and turning violent if denied money.

6) Stealing money from family,relatives,friends to feed the habit.

7) Very low self esteem leading to depression.

 

Depending on the duration of abuse the user has severe withdrawal symptoms.This is called Turking,Derived probably by condensing the expression "going cold turkey." The eyes start watering,the nose runs incessantly,vomiting occurs.Muscles start contracting involuntarily causing twitching of the limbs and abdomen.The pain is so severe as if you have fallen down ten flights of stairs.

For a complete recovery,serious medical and psychiatric attention is necessary.A good 3-4 weeks of hospitalization will take care of the physical trauma.Then psychiatric assistance is foremost.besides the psychiatrist the co-operation of the immediate family members is necessary. And of course the EX-USER has to consciously resolve to quit.......otherwise a relapse is just a puff,a whiff or needle away.That is the stage when you cannot open you car door as it hurtles over the cliff.

Pain is temporary but QUITTING lasts forever.

Drugs are BAD NEWS.....Drugs SUCK......best advice yet......DONT GET STARTED.

THE RELUCTANT WRITER.