The soft strategies that go a long way in achieving the 100+% target per month

1. Conduct “team building exercises”
Take your team out for a drink. As a Sales officer remarked – “One beer, target full year” Business conversations to be avoided in such outings.

Conduct Key customer “meeting-eating” sessions once in a year.

2. Follow-ups, Meetings
Spaced out over the month else your team would think you are stalking them! A meeting of the entire team once in a month is essential. This helps the team members evaluate their performance vis-à-vis their counterparts- a single forum to address doubts, give and take inputs from each other.

3. Act as the Shield
When in the right, defend your team from higher management. After all, you are responsible for the actions taken by your team members. The buck stops with you.

Steps 1,3 result in Loyalty from customers and your team. They would be inspired to do their best for you.

Step 2 keeps the team on their toes, a reminder of the distance to be covered.

The snapshot life of a hyperactive (“vivacious”), fashion-crazy shopaholic journalist Rebacca Bloomwood who wants a job at a top fashion firm, but makes do with one at an office below, which happens to be a financial magazine of repute.

From fashion to finance. How? The editor, Luke, is taken in with the “freshness” of her article on injured sentiments of shoppers. She goes onto become a super-famous columnist as “The girl with the green scarf” with just 2 articles.

Meanwhile the heroine continues her dream shopping spree, running out on the credit limits of her gazillion cards. The debt collector is shown as a villain whom she puts off with a string of lies. When he manages to catch and expose her on a TV interview (serves her right), the crowd sympathy is with her – “Why did he ruin this girl’s life?!” types.

Her super sweet parents come to her rescue (“you and your mum define my life”) when friends and love have fled from her life. She manages to pay-off her debt in style – with the “the disaster that was me on TV” sympathy sale of her shopping spoils. She gets her man in the end. Happily ever after.

The comedy? The “I bump into one article –resulting- domino- effect” types.

The shopaholic line of thought is captured well, what with mannequins charming her to buying their wares. When asked why she shops so much, Becca gives a very helpless reply of how she feels the world is a better place when she shops. The only bits I found appealing in the movie.

Rating: Shift+Delete

Note: Replace Rebecca Bloomwood with the average 2008 American investment banker, the editor (Luke) with the investment bank, parents with the US government. You have the plot of the US financial crisis.

Month End is not a pretty time in sales.

I live on Sudder street at Kolkata. Famous for its hospitality extended to the “let’s explore the real India” tourists. You find them with their beaded necks, hands, with coolers and back pack trying to figure out what the hell they are doing, well, in that street The locals “help”, with a few coming up-close and mumbling “Very good Guesthouse?” in the most conspirital tone.

This small stretch of 1 km is peppered with restaurants, a church, dingy guesthouses, tiny forex shops, cyber cafes, the usual kirana-mom-pop grocery stores.  At one end of this street you have a nondescript  bookstore. Well, so you think. And then you take a second look at the sign board (Check out the phrase circled in blue)

Am sure none of the backpacking-lonelyplanet-firangs could resist the urge to flip through some of his books,  :) After all “What is so different about this one, that it has made way into our beloved guide-book?”

What is the most difficult task of any advertisement? To catch the attention of your target customer, break through that clutter. In that one glance, induce a level of interest so as to lead to an enquiry regarding your product/service. That’s half the job done.

Converting this (A)ttention->(I)nterest to (D)esire and then (A)ction (purchase of service/product) is dependent on the quality of your offering of course!

Some compositions flow with the movement of the vehicle; the jerks and bumps as the buses stop-start, the left-right sway of trains changing tracks, and accelerating; a plane liftoff.. Most of these tracks give a sweet sense of rhythm while travelling in crowded Kolkata PT (public transport.. more on this one later ) … 

So here are my Top 5  favourite “travel songs”…classified on basis of the journey distance, mode of travel; when must these be listened to -anytime during the journey, at the start, a filler (in between the journey)?

1.Hard Sun (Into the Wild soundtrack) – Eddie Vedder

ALL TIME favourite! On Repeat Play for a Loooong largley unbroken journey on a bus/train ! A distinct “Red Indian” touch to this piece by the usage of a particular instrument- the same used in Dekha Hai Aise Bhi  (Lucky Ali) as well…can’t put a name to it

2. Kaise Mujhe tum mil gayi (Movie:Gajini)- Benny Dayal, Shreya Ghosal

This is the only plane song in my 5-track list..The sitar music blended so skilfully, alongwith Benny Dayal’s vocals which shifts to a  higher pitch as the song builds up, gives the effect of an airplane’s engines revving up and soaring into the open sky… it grows on you,  like most of Rahman’s numbers; more so after you’ve seen the video. Listened to it all day when I first got it on my system- the sole song on my playlist, repeat play The beats in this song also go with a train’s jerky movements and the clack-clack sounds of the tracks on its wheels..play in beginning (flight) or a filler (train travel)

3. Faraway (Soundtrack-Pride and Prejudice) Nickelback

A good filler song for medium paced, freeflowing traffic/train journey.. the wind blowing into your face gently as you listen to this one  

Another filler, carelessly, lazily sung with its brilliant lyrics.. rolls on slower roads with a few speedbreakers now and then.. 

5.  Dekha hai aise bhi – Lucky Ali

To begin a long journey.. sets the mood Ali’s raspy, slightly nasal, the slow paced track combined with good road on a bus..

There are a lot more, but let’s just stop at these 5!

Post 2/2 on Goan Heritage Tour

Jan 19 2009 : Museum – Houses of Goa

This one was a prized find, thanks to Googling – “Museums in Goa”.

Weirdly shaped thing eh?

A very compact, boat shaped structure– the shape being the consequence of the triangular piece of land it was built on. Three floors, connected by a spiral stairway running through the middle of the structure, each floor taking you through the architectural evolution of over 300 years to reach the current state with soft classical English Music playing in the background.

The Portuguese house is a 2 tier structure, the ground floor of which usually had the stable as the presence of horses warmed the floor above. The servants also stayed in the ground floor. The first floor housed the owners of the property and his family. The distinction is emphasized by the different window patterns of the 2 floors – the ground floor with normal shutters, the first floor with more ornate patterned window grills. Goa, being warmer, the need for the stables was done away with… the 2 tier structure remained though, with a few more features like a stepped side-rail to the entrance through which the servants entered the house etc. 

First floor- see the Goan history illustration in black'n white?

Mario de Miranda

The Museum is replete with illustrations by Mario Miranda, that beloved Goan artist His own house has been featured in the examples of the old-world Goan house with the Portuguese touch. The first floor has an entire wall filled with a pictorial representation of Goa’s history, pre-Portuguese era, the Inquisition, market scene in Old Goa etc. all with those tiny tiny details and expressions that make this cartoonist and his work a delight! The first floor has also has a photographic representation of notable architectural creations across the world in a particular period across centuries – very engaging piece! 

The Juke box

Second floor - Hat stand

The second floor concentrates on architectural aspects like windows, doors, flooring tiles used etc. There is a small seating at the end of this floor where you could listen to popular Goan music through this juke box -the kinds you see in Planet M showrooms with headphones and all. Very nice touch

Third floor- Stepped seating on the left

The third floor completes the story of the evolution. After settling down amongst the cushions on the stepped seating with a cup of coffee from the tiny cafeteria downstairs, a video show gives a summary of all that you have seen – there are specific timings for these shows of course! Grabbed a book which explained the Goan history post colonization et al – the chief attraction being Mario’s pieces Slightly expensive, but worthy addition to my collection (can hear Mum screaming- but what the heck!)

Absolutely Loved the entire experience – a must visit for people who love stories  Kudos to Gerard da Cunha, the founder! For more info, checkout www.archgoa.org/

This post has been long due – an account of my two sight-seeing trips in Goa. None of that beaches ’n booze stuff though… Goa was a cultural melting pot, the first colony per se in India, and there was so much to be seen and heard about its rich history! So here goes the first of the 2 posts…

 Date 25^th Dec 2008

Went on a 3 church-4 temple-1 museum-1 cultural centre trip spanning Old Goa, North Goa – all this in 8 hours. With me, myself and Beena It’s always a pleasure to travel alone when visiting places like these. Can squint at an inscription, admire the contours of a sculpture for as much time as one chooses – no person goading you to move on, no one to keep track of!

Started off with St. Francis Xavier’s church, followed by an old church in the museum and then the Se’s Cathedral. The one word to describe these churches would be, “Majestic” – in expression, color and silence. One feels the towering presence of God – what with the tall ceiling, the gilded chapel showering bright light, figurines of Saints raising their heads and hands heaven-wards in devotion. Felt extra special as it was Christmas

Although I’ve to St-Xavier’s twice before, the mystic associated with St. Francis’s mortal remains never fails to evoke wonderment every time. Stared and stared at the paintings, zoomed-clicked away to my heart’s content.

Next stop, the Archeology Centre and Museum. Besides coins, broken idols, inscriptions and the like, the first floor housed full-size portraits of the Portuguese governor-generals and viceroys who ruled Goa.  It was fun to see the change in beard, hair styling and dress over the centuries!! From the grave rounded long beards in the 1600s; the powdered wigs and clean shaven look in the 1700s- a decided French influence; the smart uniformed military look of the late 1800s which continued till the end of colonization.

The Se’s Cathedral, in the same compound, impressed me with the number of altars and chapels within – 6 altars, 8 chapels totally ! In front of the St. Anthony’s altar, an erstwhile “secret” passage-way sealed off by a glass slab glowed in an eerie orange light. At another alter, the Chapel of the Cross of Miracles, The Lord was said to have been sighted in 1919.

Our Lady of Dolores

Loved the “Our Lady of Dolores” (Dolores meaning Sorrow, hence Mary of Sorrow) altar – Mary’s agony was captured so well, as she looked up at her crucified Son. Remembered a poignant scene from the “Passion of Christ” ;one in which she rushes to hold her falling child – the scene flashing between His childhood incident, when he slipped and fell, and the present, when the sheer weight of the cross overwhelms him… unforgettable in its tenderness, helplessness…

Supposedly, one of these churches houses a Shiv Mandir hidden behind ceiled walls – the tale of its existence, a mere whisper amongst the local populace- “Not many people know about it madam! Take note of the church roof, it is similar to that of the temples you would be visiting today” said my driver. A well in the church premises is, reportedly, one end of an underground passage to Pandarpur; there were many secret underground passages in Goa, many of them still undiscovered and unexplored. These enabled clandestine, passport-less movement between Portuguese Goa and the rest of India. Few people have lost their lives trying to explore these “mole-roads”- suffocation, or falling into a deeper cavity. Ma-an! If anything sounded cool and creepy at the same time :O

Then off on a temple marathon – Mangeshi (Lord Shiva), Mahalsa (Mohini-Parvati), Mahalakshmi and Shantadurga – all just a few kilometers from each other. The 1600’s saw the colonizing Portuguese desecrate many such haloed Hindu sites. The Gaud Saraswat Brahmin community, enjoined to protect the legacy of their ancestral deities, escaped with a few of the idols to the interior regions. From that time on till date, the temples and its patrons have flourished- very evident from their rich interiors.

Deepasthamba

The temples are similar in structure. A tall Deepa-sthamba (Pillar of lamps) is at the entrance of the temple door. Western influence is seen in the interiors; lit up by chandeliers, bell-shaped lamps and stained ceramic tiles decorate the arches. The flooring was marble or granite, so also the seats along the inner periphery of the temple. The main temple structure consists of 3 parts. When you just enter, we have a hall, which could seat a large number of people. The second chamber usually has the ceremonial palanquins placed in them – the deity is usually taken on a procession on these during the temple festivals. At the 3^rd and the last chamber, the Garba Griha, is where the deity’s ensconced. Garba Griha literally means the “Womb” – radiating with hope

Mahalsa Temple

An interesting story’s associated with the Mahalsa temple, famous for its huge brass bell. The bell‘s ringer was attached only when somebody wanted to testify. It was believed that the goddess will punish the person who lied while ringing the bell. The belief was so strong, that even during the Portuguese rule, the testimony in the temple was considered acceptable in the court of law! 

The “Ancestral Goa Centre”/ Big Foot, Luotolim, showcases the Goan way of life through models of a rustic-Portuguese Goa. The models of the Taverna (the bar), the house of a Portuguese Lady “Dona Marina”, the Bhattini or the Feni manufacturing adda are the most notable, as the others like a shoe-maker/vegetable vendor would not hold the interest of an Indian – one gets to see such scenes every day anyways!; primarily been built to give the firangs a glimpse of the life of an average Indian. The activities depicted in each of structures, were being described by a few guides appointed for the purpose within the centre. There is a Handicraft section selling crockery, shell jewellery, jing-bangs, bags printed with the famous Mario Miranda cartoon pieces etc.  

Sant Mirabai - Ancestral Goa

This place also has the world’s largest laterite stone sculpture, of the singing saint Meerabai. She is depicted wearing fullam, a traditional golden-flower head ornament, worn by Goan Hindu women. This creation was conceptualized and sculpted by the founder and manager of the cultural centre, Maendra Alavres. The whole piece ends with the explanation for the name “Big Foot” – a legend of a benevolent person of these parts. With a restaurant, the set-up is pretty much complete  

Ended the day by polishing off a scrumptious Gujarati Thaali meal at Bhojan, one of the many restaurants at Panjim’s Hotel Fidalgo. Had purposely eaten lightly during the day so that could gorge the unlimited vegetarian delicacies doled out at regular intervals by the ever-attendant waiters Started off with chaas (buttermilk), lemon juice; dhoklas and potato bondas with green chutney and chillies followed; dals and vegetable curries along-with a variety of bread (bakri, roti, parata), rice and pickles; hot gulab jamuns for dessert… yum yummy yum!!!

This post has come 2 weeks late… but “Der aae par durusth aae”!

Jan 17,18 2009… A 2 day trip down the memory lane…Been hardly 10 months since we last saw Kampus…memories flooding in…

• Lunch at Lovely Dhaba – delicious puri-channa, thick boondi raita, rasmalai

• Coffee Chechi – ever smiling, ever glad to see us, handing out her cups of coffee/horlicks

              -          Messiah during a very very boring Strat exam – remember

                         people taking a break after reading the case before

                         tackling the questions!

• NC – Maggi!!!! Few of the old staff still remain but many new faces

• Mess Party – had a good DJ this time, and it was outside the Mess (now referred to as “Old Mess”), professional bartending, cocktail mixing… Woo! Nice touch PGP12

• Focus Mall- checked out my favourite section in any mall, the books shop, bought the English translation of the Malayalam classic novel O Chandumenon’s Indulekha

• A bike ride at 102 kmph – felt like flying! Thanks to Arjun and his Apache!

• Treated to a few videos of Sangram’09 – Historical that we “beat” IIMB 6-5, 3 more matches and that would translate to pure unadulterated victory!

• Appam stew at Coffee beans – remembered the N number of times we’ve chilled out at this place

              -          Ushering in New Year 2008

             -           Post shopping at Fab India/ just to catch the wonderful Veg

                          Biryani/ omlette plate

• Walked around Kampus while the sun was just bidding goodbye to the day, balmy breeze blowing

              -          lot of construction happening, many more hostels to

                         accommodate the ever increasing batch strength – current

                         being 265, all set to increase to 300 in another year!

                         (How are they ever going to place all these people!! :O)

              -          name plates on seats (thanks to our cheeky batch

                         – \m/ PGP10 rocks!  \m/ )

              -          remembering the classes taught in each classroom,

                         the last class,  MFS being at CR 1D (now renamed to

                         … well don’t remember!)

             -          watching the sunset view from the New Mess which is now

                         functional; we had this wonderful Ice cream party  with

                         the “Eat  ice cream and watch the sunset”  theme last

                         year over there

            -          the way H Hostel and the New Mess is linked up to the

                        Newer classrooms is lovely

           -          Crossroads: the huge Focus Group Discussion we

                       conducted to discuss  the “pimple patches” BMPP

                       project ; Dragging juniors from their sleep to participate ,

                       the Dairy Milks doled out as rewards   :))

           -          Long talks at Harvard:site of post dinner/lunch/committee

                       meets with a “Real Active”/ chechi’s coffee in hand

           -          The New Faculty Block: scene of summers, tense,

                       speculation…

           -          The Library:  witnessed so many case discussions/group

                       assignments, the place I regretted not using as often as

                       I would’ve  wanted to… the same crib when I left Engineering

                       (some things never change do they? :O )

           -          Clicked photos at Thinking Point:  My favorite spot on campus

                       and the  inspiration for naming this webspace;  as a friend said,

                       we can   come back to this place ANYTIME we want… one of

                       the most peaceful, beautiful spots I’ve ever been to

                       a place of confessions, goodbyes, star gazing, a dash

                       in the rain

Sigh…

He spoke the language of unity

Of peace, of cooperation, coordination

Of humbleness, love

Working with one another- with former “enemies”,  now partners in a common cause, Humanity

Of returning to old time-tested values, ignored currently in the mad run for more

To build a new world, of promises kept and not spoken

A new way forward…

The whole atmosphere was of prayer, hope…

He will succeed as he would have the arms of his people supporting him…he cannot fail their faces say; he will carry them through these times…at least so they  hope…

Hope … Obama’s gift to us all on the 21^st of January 2009

One cant help smiling at the warmth it bathed the heart,though it was delivered thousands of miles away in another country,for a different people… One cant help wonder, this must have been what it felt like, when another leader galvanized our people around 60 years back… the feeling similar, with the single-mindedness of purpose… Bapu ’s  message inspired a muti-lingual, multi-ethnic quilt of a country to fight for Her freedom through a radical notion…

What impressed me, through the monumental election process, was Obama’s maturity… his firmness in ensuring his opponents’ family was not targeted- the debates were on ability and policies.  Can only imagine the glee of our political parties in exploiting this opportunity to gain “brownie points”

More importantly, Obama acknowledged, gently, but firmly that “yes there have been mistakes”… there was no more of that “US will be the only super power” bluster… a need to work “with” people, not “over” them… to hold hands…

True the Obama phenomenon has been all talk so far… But rather than just resorting to reactive, comparative agendas at every rally his speeches, so far, have touched the right notes of Change… so badly needed by the disillusioned Americans…It did take the American population some time to realize that they are losing their edge… but they had the courage to resist prejudices, to embrace a relatively inexperienced candidate… Would we ever take that risk?

How one wishes for leaders who speak and act on enabling business instead of destroying property and dividing us in the name of state-patriotism et al! Do we await a calamity as well, to desperately want, unite and elect a new leadership? Did Mumbai’s 26/11 result in the birth of new leaders promising change? We just had the option of replacing one thieving politician with another… People get the government they deserve, they say… when will we wake up from our “ah and this too shall pass” slumber?

“We must become the change we seek in the world”- MK Gandhi

Houses on the road decked up with brilliant stars, Xmas trees,  small Nativity shrines illuminated by candles –Goa is a pretty pretty sight on Xmas eve Had attended the Midnight Mass at a tiny chapel a stone’s throw away from my guesthouse – green Goa is peppered with chapels, temples!

As midnight drew nearer “dear-beloveds”, suited- gowned, quietly drew to the chapel. The distinct difference between such a gathering and that of our Hindu festivals is that of the decibel level – the gathering was SO peaceful. No rush, no push. Always loved the hymns, the psalm-singing choir regardless of the language  – lifts you into another world, their lilting voice Tried figuring out the Konkani speech of the priest – mostly revolved around the recent terrorist acts. The mood was solemn.

Towards the end, the Happy Birthday song (Konkani) was sung (:)) followed by the cake distribution – that’s the sole purpose of attending these occasions is it not The altar boys were distributing a thin round wafer as well. Slowly the crowd disbursed, wishing known-unknown  “Merry Christmas”.

 :)