SATYA's blog

A fresh team simplifies a routine task.

2011-12-05T22:51:00.000-08:00

A task when taken over by a new team, gets simplified to large extent. Often a task is performed periodically like preparing annual budgets, giving compliance to Board, Management, etc., in any organisation. When a given team takes up the task for the first time, they design the subroutines, formats, information flows,etc in quite an elaborate manner and the task being new more manpower and thinking resources are spent in streamlining the task. As the time flows, the task is reviewed, redesigned and protocols put in place. Being the initiators, the team also strives to maintain the protocols and original intent/spirit in tact. In fact, the team gets attached to the protocols. Over time, as new members enter the team with a old ones leaving it, there will be attempt to question the original protocols in the new context. Still the continuing old members try to keep up the traditions. Sooner or later, the tasks will be completed in a shorter time and even certain protocols omitted without raising any eyebrows and often without anybody noticing it. Ultimately, task is performed in a much simpler way.

When we were giving periodic compliance to management, Board, ED, etc it really used to be an ordeal. we were always on our toes meeting the deadlines for one or the other compliance out of the four sets of compliance to be sent in a month. Once the entire team was changed, my colleague took over from me and after a month or so i found that they were not sending one particular compliance which we were sending faithfully every fortnight. Shocked at it i enquired about it and the reply was they never sent such fortnightly compliance and they made the entire compliance business a monthly affair. In disbelief I was making sure if they did not get any reminders from the coordinating department attached to management. To my utter surprise and post-facto frustration, i came to know that there was no such communication from the other side and hence they standardised their own new practice. Subsequently, after several years, i found that the entire compliance business has been reduced to an insignificant and low profile routine.

A fresh team simplifies a routine task, indeed.

Yours truly

satya

test post

2011-07-24T19:39:00.001-07:00

using blogger android version

two laws!

2011-07-20T09:20:00.001-07:00

you must have read many laws like peter's principle, parkinson's law, etc making rounds. in course of my as well as others' experinces in organisations, especially public sector, i came out with two axioms or laws.

1.Organisations surprise the employees. the surprise element may become more intensive as the complexity of hierarchial structure increases.
2. organisational systems encourage mediocrity.

While individual employees may strive to excel system always works to bring out mediocrity. these laws apply to large esp. public sector entities with hierarchial system and i cannot tell if they apply to others. i will try to elaborate with examples later. meanwhile critique welcome.

Thanks to Nirupam for helping me thrash out the first law.

satyasai

post from my mobile

2011-06-19T00:45:00.001-07:00

this is from android phone using blogit. it is wonderful to be able to connect your blog through mobile. only dissatisfaction is i cannot use telugu on my samsung galaxy fit. hindi i am able to type in using multiling keyboard. waiting for telugu...

Learn to Lose

2011-05-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

We all clamour for winning. Especially over others. But there is a pleasure in losing too. One will experience that pleasure only through personal experience. We all would have lost in a game or race to our children to see happiness in their face. But we never wish to lose for fellow adults say spouse or friend. Initially it seem difficult to accept the concept and practice. People may even brand you a fool if you lose when you can win otherwise. Even the person for who you are losing also may not appreciate. Rest assured. Over time, you will be happy with your decision. Losing for others does not mean losing everything every time as per some time table.

Recently, in Mr.Perfect, a telugu movie starring Prabhas, this concept is introduced and highlighted as the ultimate winner. The heroin wanted to join the game of cricket and bowl at a crucial time that can ruin the game and the hero did not want to allow her to ensure a win for his team. Hero's father pressurises him and demonstrates to him by holding water in his palm with all fingers together. He explains that by being together with friends (symbolised by fingers) you stand to hold much water and by spreading the fingers (being individualistic) you can hardly hold any water. Hero resented and took a decision never to compromise in life and led such life till the end when he realises the value of his father's words at the end as the heroin demonstrates what is love which is nothing but losing.

My professor used to say the same thing in a different way. He used to say that to gain something you should lose something and when we expect others to do something for us we should do something. Initiative should ours.
What an advice sirji
with love
satyasai

agricultural Commodity futures

2007-11-24T02:00:00.000-08:00

Commodity futures of farm products were banned during 1970s and as part of the reforms they have been revivied now. A presentation on the commodity futures and how they can be linked to farmers can be seen at link below.
Presentation on commodity furtures

Comments and additional info will be appreciated.
-SS

2006-11-13T19:26:00.000-08:00

Five (5) lessons to make you think about the way we treat people.

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers,you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello."I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 P.M., an older African Americanwoman was standing on the side of an Alabama highwaytrying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride.Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the! man's door. To his surprise, agiant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached..
It read:"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highwaythe other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along.Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."Sincerely,Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember thosewho serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him."How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his and out of his pocket and studied the coins in it."Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient."Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.The little boy again counted his coins."I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies..You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and atched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move thestone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticeda purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improveour condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts

...Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her onlychance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who hadmiraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to herlittle brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give! his blood to his sister.I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did,seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

My First Blog

2006-11-06T21:51:00.000-08:00

This is my first blog in English. I hope to share my beliefs and interests with all of you. My interests are people, music, art, etc.
See you through my blog soon