I am Thankful - An Inspiring Story

14-Feb-2014 | Friday | 7.30 PM | Company Bus

I entered my Office bus and occupied a comfortable front seat. I have opened the book "Think and Grow Rich" written by Napoleon Hill and started reading it. It is the seventh time I am reading this book. Each and every time I read this book, I learn something new.

Within couple of minutes Sundar came near me and asked pointing the empty seat near me "Prem, can I take this seat?"

"Sure. I have secured this seat only for you" I said with a mischievous smile on my face. 

He burst out laughing, as the timing was good.Before you hit the face on the wall, wondering what is the Joke, I will clarify it. In our company, Sundar is working on fourth floor in Television division. However, I am working in Mobile Division in the third floor. We have worked together on a project before a decade and rarely do we meet each other in the 7.30 PM evening bus. He usually goes home by 5.00 PM Office bus daily and today he is late, might be due to some important work. I hope now you could digest the joke.

"Prem, I want to meet you personally for a long time" he kick started the conversation.

"Really. Please let me know how can I help you?" I asked him as if I am the Aladdin’s Genie.

"I am totally depressed due to poor appraisal this year and my marriage life is also not good and I am worried a lot about money, as I have lakhs of home and car loan and my health is also derogating" he said emotionally with a gloomy face.

"I completely understand your problem. You are not alone. Almost 80 percent of the Software engineers have the same problems" I replied.

"I have attended one of your motivational sessions in our office and found it useful. So I thought you can give some good advice" Sundar asked, inquisitively.

“Sundar, I stopped giving free advice" I giggled and winked my eyes.

"Prem, I am ready to give half of my assets to you, if you help me to overcome the current situation" he said, concerned.

"Half of the Assets ? I will write it in my Dairy" I laughed.

“I Swear. Please help” he said concerned.

I usually use my mentalist skills to check whether the person is really serious about what he is asking. I could read from his Voice tone, eye movements and the body language that he is true. I started giving the wisdom, which I have gathered from my beloved masters.

"You are seeing only the things that you don't have in your life. Instead, you should be thankful for all the things that you have in life" I said.  

"What do I have, other than the loan, not good appraisal, not good health and a complaining wife ?" he asked frustrated.

"You have food on your plate, roof on your head and colorful dress on your wardrobe and loving friends and parents. I know that you love your daughter more than anything else in this world" I cleverly touched his positive emotions.

If you are wondering how I know that he loves his daughter, I will give you the clue. He usually keeps his daughter photo in the office desktop wallpaper. I have observed it multiple times, while we are working together in the project, before a decade.

"Yes, you are right" he answered

"It is normal human nature to compare with others and complaint about the things that we don't have, you need to shift your focus and start appreciating the things you have" I said positively.

"You said it very easily. But how can I do it ?" he questioned.

"It is a good question Sundar. In your Smartphone notepad, start writing the things that you are Thankful. For example, next time when you have a cup of freshly brewed coffee, you need to write as "I am thankful for my Coffee" in the notepad. You need to write even the small things that you like about your wife, health, finance and work. Moreover if someone does a favor or help, express it to them with gratitude” I said.

“Does this really work ?” he asked, with a question mark on his face.

“It works, if you work on it.People always underestimate the things that are simple and easy. Give this a try for 90 days and stop following it, if you don’t get any positive results. Anyway, you are not going to lose even a single penny by following this” I said

“Yes, you are right. I will give it a try” he said with little hope on his face.

“I need to get down, as the bus have reached my stop. It was nice talking to you. Good Luck” I said with a smile on my face.

I have deboarded the bus and started walking towards my home with the earphone on my ears, hearing the "Attitude of Gratitude" Gyan from my beloved master Gaur Gopal Das with the support of LG G2 Smartphone.

I have never met Sundar afterwards in my company. 

24-Mar-2019 | 9.00 PM | Bhagini Suites Marathahalli

Let's fast forward five years, me along with my wife and son was attending Sakthi’s, my colleague Hari’s daughter, first Birthday party. We are sitting in a table and enjoying the tasty Dinner. Sundar came to our table, along with his wife and daughter with a beaming smile on his face . He introduced me, as his Mentor, to his wife and daughter.  

Sundar is completely changed now. He is radiating with full of positive energy and enthusiasm. I have taken him to corner of the room to know the secret for his positive transformation. 

“Sundar, I haven’t seen you after our meeting at the office bus. Where are you? ” I questioned.

“I got a good offer from Qualcomm within 3 months of our meeting and I have resigned our company. I came to meet you on the last day. But I heard from your teammate that you have gone to France for a business trip” he said.

 “How is your life going on?” I came straight to the point without wasting time.

“I am appreciating each and every moment of my life” he said with a sense of pride and achievement.

“That sounds good” I replied.

“Meeting you in the office bus have transformed my life positively” he said.

“Really, Can you please explain me how ?”

“I started appreciating all the good things in my life"

“Awesome. So you have followed what I told ?”

“Yes, Exactly like a baby duck follows their mother”

“How is your corporate life ?”

“I am working as a successful program manager and I got the Best Employee Award last Year”

“How is your marriage life ?”

“It is Awesome. After our meeting, once I thanked my wife for the tasty chapatti she have prepared for me. On hearing this, her eyes become moist and she hugged me tightly. I have understood that she was craving for my appreciation until now. After knowing this secret, I started hitting sixes all over the ground like MS Dhoni” he smiled.

“What about your home and car loan?”

“Daily, I thanked the universe for the money I have. Like a magic, my father and father-in-law came forward and gave their PF amount to close my pending  loans. I have closed my car and home loan last year. I am currently in the path of achieving Financial freedom”

“What about your health ?”

“I have thanked all my body parts whole heartedly daily for functioning effectively. Like a miracle, my health improved a lot and I a glowing with good health.”

“Wow. I am glad to hear your story”

“I came to this party to personally thank you for the wonderful piece of advice, you gave me on thee bus, about the attitude of gratitude” he said.

“I don’t want your thanks. As promised, please give half of your assets” I said jokingly.

“Sure. You deserve it” he said seriously.

“I am just kidding. You need to do me a favor” I requested.

“Please tell. I am waiting to pay you back in some way” he said in a serious tone. 

“Next time when you see a person who is depressed, please request him to be grateful for all the good things in his life” I requested.

“I will do it for sure” Sundar said and hugged me for the help. He left the party after bidding a warm Good bye.

On seeing the sky, I thanked the God and my masters for giving me the opportunity and wisdom to change Sundar’s life positively.

I was still sitting in the table with my wife and son enjoying the Amul Butterscotch Ice-cream. During that time, Praveen, one of my office colleagues came to me.

"Prem, I want to meet you personally for a long time" Praveen kick started the conversation. 

"Really. Please let me know how can I help you?" I asked him as if I am the Aladdin’s Genie.

Author Speaks :

"Being Grateful" is the Aladdin Genie within everyone of us, that can do magics and Miracles. Be thankful for all the good things in your life.  If you like this article, please share it with your family and friends. It might help them to awaken the Aladdin Genie, that is sleeping within them. 

If you like this article, You are kindly requested to join my mission of Donate a Meal to start making a positive difference is someone's life. You are born with the ability to change someone life positively, please give your life a chance.

Confession of a Software Techie - Book Review

Fools learn from their mistakes. However, successful people learn from others mistakes - Unknown

"Confession of a Software Techie" book is a must read for all the Software engineers, who are struggling to find the corporate ladder. Yes, there are many of the Software engineers out there, who still doesn't know where is the corporate ladder. Some of the blessed ones, who have found the corporate ladder, work very hard 24x7 compromising their health and personal life to climb it. However, it takes years to move even a single step in the corporate ladder, if you follow the traditional path of working hard.

As Stephen.R.Covey said, "We must never be too busy to take time to sharpen the saw", reading this brilliant book will surely help you to sharpen your Saw. It is time to shift our focus from doing hard work to Smart Work. This book gives lots of techniques and insights, that will help you to know the blueprint of Corporate Success.  As a bonus, the author have also given lots of insights about maintaining a healthy relationships, Financial Planning and how to maintain a good health. Yes, I too agree that a person can be called as Success, only when he is successful in all the four important aspects of life, namely health, career, relationship and finance.

Ramakrishna Reddy, the author have done a thorough research with all leading self-help / Management / leadership/ Productivity books and implemented it successfully in his corporate life and have written this book.

Special Thanks to Ramakrishna Reddy, as he have saved lots of my time. Yes, I too want to write a similar book, which I have learnt in the IT industry for the past 14 years.The author have written exactly that is in my mind. Now I can focus my energy to a different subject that adds values to people life. 

Key Highlights of the Book :

• How to write effective Emails?
• How to speak in public ?
• How to conduct useful meeting ?
• How to deal with people and politics ?
• How to get more done with less ?
• How to handle your boss, colleagues and Subordinates?
• How to manage money effectively ?
• The power of habits.
• What does a woman want ?
• Five keys to unlock your creative potential.

John Thomas, the author of 'The Big Switch', quotes that "The destination is just an illusion. It is the journey that matters". Yes, we need to enjoy each and every moment of our journey, even in office. This book will make your working hours in office as happy hours.

Even If you ask me in the middle of the night, during my deep sleep, to recommend a book for the software engineers, with no doubt I will point this book. This book can be rightly called as the Bible for a Software Techie.I still wonder, why such a book doesn’t exist, when I enter the corporate world. 

You can play your cards better, if you know the rules of the game. Following the principles written in this book will take you in the corporate lift instead of the corporate ladder. Wish you success and good luck in your corporate life.

Click Image to buy this book in Amazon India

Note of Advice - In Amazon India, the hard copy costs little higher. However Kindle edition costs only Rs.99. You can download Kindle App in your mobile or PC and start reading it in a jiffy. [Inspired by our beloved author Ramakrishna Reddy who advice's us to spend the money wisely].

A Request from Author :
If you are working in an IT industry, you should read this book without further thought. You are also welcome to share it with your Boss, colleagues and friends who are struggling to find some light in the IT industry. 

If you like this article, You are kindly requested to join my mission of Donate a Meal to start making a positive difference is someone's life. You are born with the ability to change someone life positively, please give your life a chance.

Art of Appreciation - An Inspiring True Story

Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness is to put it into words is all that is necessary - Margaret Cousins 

After finishing my engineering (Information Technology) in May 2004, I have boarded the train from Madurai(Tamil Nadu) to Bangalore with lots of dreams to become a successful software engineer. 

In Bangalore, me with some of my college friends have rented a house in Indiranagar and started our job hunt. By God's grace, all of our batch mates have got a good job in a reputed IT Industry within 3 months. 

I am blessed to get a Job in a South Korean IT company, Bangalore. I have joined the South Korean MNC Company as fresher on 18th October 2004. As I am from Rajapalayam, which is a small town in Southern Tamil Nadu, I struggled a lot with the environment inside and outside the company. 

During the early days of my career, If you see me speaking in-front of five people in the meeting, I bet that you would roll out laughing on the floor. Luckily, WhatsApp was not there during that time, or else my official emails will be circulated all over the world as Joke for the day. I still remember the day, when I asked my colleague Hari to chat with our European client on messenger on my behalf. 

During my first year appraisal, my manager have a big list of areas that needs improvement for me, that includes communication, Inter-personal, E-mail, Presentation Skills, etc. To be frank, the improvement list is much bigger than my wife’s shopping list. Every year, my manager increased the improvement list for me, without any much improvement in my salary. Whatever I do, my manager was never satisfied with my performance, he always came with a new list of areas that needs improvement. 

Many times, I have thought of quitting my software job and going back to hometown. However, my father always motivated me telling that my salary is greater than his salary as a School teacher. Whenever he goes to see his friends, he tells proudly that I am working in a South Korean MNC. So, I have decided to stick with this company, atleast to make him happy. 

In the IT industry if you don’t perform as per your Boss expectation, you will be donated to some other team during the internal job rotation. Yes, as you predicted correctly, in the year 2007, I was also requested to change team and work under Guruprasad Baller. 

Guruprasad Baller was from Bangalore. He had a beaming smile on his face always. He was a man of positive energy and enthusiasm. He treated everyone in the team as his own family members.

Whenever someone face some problem in the project, he was there to support them. He leaves office only after ensuring that everyone in his team have left and he comes early before everyone check-ins. He was one of the best employees at the company. So, all the Critical projects were assigned to him.  

He loved his work more than anything else in the world.  He respects the house keeping personnel, the same way he respects the president of our company. He is a humble, down to earth person.

He is a servant leader and I have learnt lots of leadership skills from him. Whenever we work late night, we used to order food and Guruprasad used to serve everyone and start eating only after ensuring that everyone got their share. 

I am more than happy to move to a new team, under the leadership of Guru. Guru started appreciating all the small things that I have done. I liked him very much, as he is the first person to tell me that I can also be of some use to the IT industry. He slowly polished me and gave me a proper guidance. His motivating words and appreciation was like a water for a thirsty person in the desert. 

In parallel, I started reading books about Positive Thinking, Law of Attraction, Self Help, Personal Growth, Art of Public Speaking, Leadership Skills, Management Skills, Communication Skills, etc to upgrade myself. Guru motivated and inspired me, whenever I need energy. In the year 2010, I was awarded "Best Employee Award" from our company president during the Annual day function that is held at Palace Grounds, Bangalore. 

Me, Ranjith and Vijay worked together for approximately five years under the brilliant leadership of Guruprasad. It was one of the golden days in my corporate life until now, where we enjoyed each and every moment in office. All four of us have a special bonding that cannot be explained by words. 

Ranjith, Guruprasad, Prem,Vijay 

In the year 2012, Guruprasad has resigned from our company to pursue his goals of higher studies. However, the seeds of inspiration that he have implanted within me have already started bearing the fruits. 

In the year 2014, exactly ten years after I joined the South Korean MNC Company, during my appraisal meeting my new manager told me “Prem, your communication skills, Interpersonal Skills, Email Writing skills and presentation skills are Awesome. You are the BEST. You are one of the Valuables assets to the company”. 

I have mentally thanked my (Guru)prasad for everything. Yes, his words of appreciation have changed my life positively. 

I have received multiple Star Awards, Project Awards, etc after the entry of Guruprasad in my life. I have personally told my current manager, not to include me in any of the Awards list, as I want it go to a thirsty Young engineer who is still waiting for that magical positive break. 

Guruprasad Speaks :
I am humbled to see myself in your blogs. Thanks. I agree that, appreciating a deserving colleague is the least, first but most important thing for a manager to do. Most of the people are self motivated for achieving something. So the appreciation acts as that extra "Boost" which makes them feel they are on the right path.

This is "Reverse Inspiration" case. Where the inspired is inspiring back the inspirer now. Well done Prem.. It was great reading your blog. Thanks for that and wish you all the best.

A Request from Author : 
If you are a Boss, reading this article, please be informed that everyone is gifted with unique talent, please identify it and start appreciating it, instead of criticizing only about the areas of improvement. 

If you like this article, You are kindly requested to join my mission of Donate a Meal to start making a positive difference is someone's life. You are born with the ability to change someone life positively, please give your life a chance. 

Is it OK to DISAGREE with The Boss ?

Leaders who don't listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say - Andy Stanley

Recently, I have come across a beautiful article "EVERY WORKPLACE SHOULD TRAIN EMPLOYEES TO DISAGREE WITH THE BOSS – HERE’S WHY". I am presenting the extract of the article below for your kind reference. 

"The worst accident in the history of aviation happened on the Spanish Island of Tenerife on March 27 1977 when a KLM 747 taking off crashed into a Pan Am 747 that was still on the runway.

A long chain of events led up to the crash, but one of the major causes was that the captain of the KLM flight chose to ignore a crucial warning from his co-workers in the cockpit.

As a result, less experienced flight crew members were encouraged to challenge their captains when they believed something was not correct, and captains were instructed to listen to their crew and evaluate all decisions in light of crew concerns"

Being a Project Manager in a renowned IT company, I always think that I am on the top of the world. However, the KLM lesson have completely changed my perception about listening to my subordinates. 

After reading this article, I have started listening to my subordinates, not only about the early warnings but also about the solutions given by them when we face a problem. I am pleasantly surprised, by the simple solutions given by them for the complex problems. 

Whenever we face a problem I ask my subordinate "Do you have any better solution to solve the existing problem ?". If the solution given by my subordinate is better than the one that is in my mind, I ask him to go ahead and implement it immediately.    

Our top management still thinks that I am brilliant in problem solving and making good decisions. However, I will open a secret, please don't tell to anyone, especially my top management that, I just patiently listen to my subordinates and implements the best solutions given my them. 

Even though you are Boss, it is not mandatory that all of your decisions will be right. It is our human nature to make mistakes, but what define us, is how we correct them quickly and doesn't repeat the same mistake. 

Listening to your subordinates will help to create a happy workplace, where they feel valued.By the end of the day, it is not only the salary that motivates the employees. 

Next time, when you face a complex problem in your project, just listen. You don't want to make your brain work overtime, to solve all the problems in your project. 

References :
https://positivesharing.com/2014/02/teach-employees-to-disagree-with-the-boss/

A Request from Author: 
If you like this article, please share it with your boss.Please be informed that I am not responsible for your appraisal this year, if your boss backfires. 

If you are a Boss reading this article, Just listen to your subordinates and experience the positive results yourself.