” Tough times, harsh times. More things that trouble us, more things we have to cope with. The numbers are growing.
Then, how do we lead ourselves? Our people? How do we remain focused? How do we help our co-workers navigate these complex times with emotions – grief, stress, anxiety, loneliness, depression, frustration. Away from human touch. Losing touch at personal level. Many are not able to make the ends meet. Mental health is deteriorating for many. Not able to respond easily – fine – to a question, how are you doing. Not able to get to next level, without dealing with the answer – not fine, actually.”
BJP is moving ahead for Elections in Bengal, TN, Kerala, Assam. TN – Sasikala is back to Chennai and TN Politics. AIADMK-BJP want to be allies. DMK has the current edge. Kamal Hasan is yet to align. More new entrants around. Kerala –LDF has the edge, but BJP is in the ring. Assam – BJP has the edge. Nobody seems to be challenging seriously yet. Bengal – the real fight state.
Everything, including Budget, is geared to this. Prices, some how, are going upwards. Will they not trouble the ‘hopefuls’ ’? ‘Reforms’, will they help? Will the suffering protesting farmers influence the voters? Will the temple help? Will collecting donations for the temple help?
A state election commission goes forward to hold elections. In AP. Notwithstanding the claims of parties in non-party election results. SEC now announced municipal elections, after the Panchayat Elections.
Puduchcherri’s ruling party yields. MLAs leave. Let us see how it unfolds. Meanwhile, President of India asked Lieutenant Governor to cease office with immediate effect.
Glacier bursts in Uttarakhand. Gangas gush out. 100+ lost lives. Climate change is giving warnings loudly. Can we ‘act’ quickly? Let us hurry up.
Budget’s disinvestment think hits Visakha Steel Plant. 20,000 are scared to lose employment, and a million depndents are threatened. People are coming on to the road. An aandolan is likely to brew. One more who blinks item.
A doubt: are the elected positions and political appointments not service positions, servant leadership positions? Do they require post-position pensions? Is not something amiss here? I understand payments during the service time, essentially living stipends, commensurate with the level of the position.
Vaccinations get going. Vamsi gets the second dose too, but not without post-vaccination aftereffects. But he quickly responded, fought his way and bounced back.
Already, We are losing co-travellers in the flows of life. Now, amidst this, a young fit tee-totaller medically aware family member suddenly finds some blocks in the heart, goes for stent; a stent becomes three; stents fail; shifts to ECMO; waiting for heart transplant; kidneys are giving up. What can we do, except trusting the people in whose hands we have ‘left’ him, with faith in his fighting spirit-ability?
Tough times, harsh times. More things that trouble us, more things we have to cope with. The numbers are growing.
Then, how do we lead ourselves? Our people? How do we remain focused? How do we help our co-workers navigate these complex times with emotions – grief, stress, anxiety, loneliness, depression, frustration. Away from human touch. Losing touch at personal level. Many are not able to make the ends meet. Mental health is deteriorating for many. Not able to respond easily – fine – to a question, how are you doing. Not able to get to next level, without dealing with the answer – not fine, actually. Then, how do we keep the team and teams pirit, teamwork intact? How do you build teams? How do we respond to ‘personal’ situations and go on to ‘team’ or work situations?
We hear authentic conversations and humility help. How do we articulate our vulnerabilities authentically and build from there? How do we become comfortable in doing so truthfully with ease? Management has to give way to leadership in a big way. No choice. For spaces to engage. In longer conversations. In organic evolution. We need to slow down. We need to listen. We need to show we are together in this. But, we can move on together. We can flow together. We may not be efficient. We can be effective. We can slowly take the artificial divide – personal life and professional life – out. It is life. It is as simple as that. The divide has to blur. It is possible only if we are willing to be transparent. Only if we are willing to go public most of the waking hours. Let us acknowledge that personal activities are part of the work activities and vice-versa. Relaxation is rejuvenating for the next work task.
Jeff Bezos is instructive: Take small number of decisions. But high quality. Listen to the Clients. Keep innovating. Be ready for 1 out of 100 efforts working. Meet with articulated agenda, but as briefly succinctly as possible.
Kurien always wanted a pager for any decision. Anything more is not OK.
Dairy Board came in 1965. Just three Chairmen. Fourth one is being found now. Its subsidiary, Mother Dairy is under serious fraud investigation. Some of this is linked its loans to IL&FS. More smoke, in more subsidiaries, reports press. Pained.
After difficult FCRA rules, GoI has made it mandatory for CSR implementing agencies to be registered by filing the form CSR-1 electronically with the Registrar, with effect from the 01 April 21. Someone has been suggesting: least cumbersome entity to work with is the political party. Is it?
While the rich become richer, more visibly of late, it is important that rich go philanthropy as a mandate. True to this, philanthropic funds have quadrupled over a decade now. Ultra High Net Worth Individuals are showing the way of giving with responsibility, with openness to realize the logic of business to generate wealth and the logic of giving are not the same. Is AMAR – Actor-Methods-Activities-Recipients framework support in this differential logic? Will the foundations with professional teams help? Is the more aware philanthropist with empathy better? Is pooling up useful? Is it important to implement directly? Fund Community Organizations? Civil Society Organizations? Individuals? Are the philanthropists accountable to society at large? Should they supplement ‘state’ or compliment or challenge or demonstrate, showcase, model? Should they support transformation, or acute needs, or rights and entitlements? Hardware, Software or wetware? Fish, Fishing or Metafishing? Universal, our people or vulnerable? Or particularly vulnerable? Now, or in sustainable way? Equitable way? Leveraging, or whole hog? Champions, Models to show way? Social or Hybrid enterprises?
Will we reduce and plan to cope with unintended consequences with more rigorous due diligence?
Vikas Anvesh Foundation suggests: bring critical but underfunded areas in focus, with continuous work; create an ecosystem that enables continuous learning and deeper understanding of issues; enable a vibrant civil society of community collectives and support organizations; leverage influence, networks, voice, expertise to support underfunded causes.
Can we have more humility around? Even in philanthropists?
Can we live better? Lead better? Learn better? Love better? Yes. If we manage our stress better. If we slow down a bit. If we recognize our limitations.If we are mindful of our breath. If we revisit our perspective of the situations. If we see from others’ points of views. If we articulate. If we forgive others and ourselves. If we are kind. If we give hugs, get hugs. If we get touch, observe touch. If we rest enough – sleep, change activity, multiple activities. If we eat consistently. If we stick 2-3 values come what may.
Let us. Let us live better. Let us co-exist better. Usefully. Creatively. Locally. In sync with nature. Let us flow, come what. With N. For 7L.
Join us in the world of yoga of less stressful local useful coexistence – saarthakayoga for 7L.
G Muralidhar